Copper-oxygen adduct complexes, and methods of making and use

Abstract

The invention at hand describes Cu-(II)-oxygen adduct complexes, which are stable at room temperature, as well as methods for their production. In this, compounds of the general formula [L-Cu—O—O—Cu-L](BAr)are concerned. Here, BAris a tetraarylborate anion, selected from tetraphenylborate and tetrakis(3,5-trifluoromethyl)phenylborate. L represents a tripodal tetradentate ligand, wherein, each of the four binding sites of the tripodal tetradentate ligand is a nitrogen atom. Each of the three podal ligands is suitable for comprising an aliphatic amine or a nitrogen-containing heteroaromatic compound independently of one another. A bridge of one to four carbon atoms is located between the central nitrogen atom and the nitrogen atom of each of the podal ligands. The Cu-(II)-oxygen adduct complexes according to the present invention are produced, by initially reacting the ligand L with a Cu-(I) salt to [Cu-L]X. Subsequently, the anion X of the Cu-(I) complex [Cu-L]X is replaced with tetraarylborate and the compound [Cu-L]BArobtained in this way is finally exposed to an oxygen-containing atmosphere. Hereby, [L-Cu—O—O—Cu-L](BAr)is formed. The Cu-(II)-oxygen adduct complexes are suitable for being used as oxidation catalysts, for example for the oxidation of benzene to phenol or methane to methanol, for the oxidation of hydrogen, aromatic and aliphatic, saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbons, as well as alcohols and amines. Furthermore, detection of the Cu-(II)-oxygen adduct complexes according to the present invention is suitable for being used for the detection of oxygen.