New Catalyst for Biodiesel Formation: Synthesis, Structural Elucidation and Quantum Chemical Calculations of New Ni(II) Complexes

New Ni(II) complexes were synthesized from the coordination of the ligands derived from benzo[1,2-c]isoxazoles with Ni(II) cation.. The structure of the new complexes was characterized by elemental analyses, mass, and IR spectra. To gain a deeper insight into the geometry of Ni(II) complexes, a quantum chemical investigation was performed. The obtained results from experimental and theoretical arguments confirmed a square-planar geometry for Ni(II) complexes. These complexes were examined as homogeneous catalysts for the transesterification of corn oil with methanol. The structure of the obtained product was confirmed by 1H NMR analysis. The catalytic results showed that the new Ni(II) complexes can be considered as potential candidates for the development of a new catalytic system for biodiesel production.