Heteroleptic cobalt(iii) acetylacetonato complexes with N-heterocyclic carbine-donating scorpionate ligands: synthesis, structural characterization and catalysis

Abstract

Exposure of O₂ to a reaction mixture containing bis(acac)cobalt(II), a facially capping tris(N-heterocyclic carbene)borate ligand and 1-methylimidazole yields a heteroleptic cobalt(III) complex with acac, 1-methylimidazole and tris(NHC)borate ligands. meta-Chloroperbenzoic acid is efficiently activated by this heteroleptic complex to catalytically oxidize cyclohexane at ambient temperature.