Synthesis, crystal structures, and catalytic properties of phenoxo-bridged dinuclear manganese(III) complexes with bis-Schiff bases

Two structurally similar centrosymmetric phenoxo-bridged dinuclear manganese(III) complexes, [Mn-2(L-1)(2)(N-3)(2)] (1) and [Mn-2(L-2)(2)(NCS)(2)] (2), were prepared from the tetradentate bis-Schiff base ligands, N,N'-bis(salicylidene)propane-1,2-diamine (H2L1) and N,N'-bis(salicylidene)ethane-1,2-diamine (H2L2), respectively, in the presence of pseudohalides. The complexes have been characterized by FTIR, elemental analyses, and molar conductivity. Structures of the complexes have been confirmed by single-crystal X-ray determination. The bis-Schiff base ligands coordinate with Mn through their phenolate oxygen and imino nitrogen. Each Mn is an octahedral. The complexes showed that they exhibit high activity in catalytic olefin oxidation.