Synthesis and electrochemical characterization of complexes of 1,2-bis[2-(pyridylmethylideneamino)phenylthio]ethanes with transition metals (CoII, NiII, CuII)

Transition metal (Ni-II, Co-II, and Cu-II) complexes with 1,2-bis[2-(3-pyridylmethylideneamino)phenylthio]ethane (1) and 1,2-bis[2-(4-pyridylmethylideneamino)phenylthio]ethane (2) were synthesized for the first time by slow diffusion of solutions of compounds 1 or 2 in CH2Cl2 into solutions of MX2 center dot nH(2)O (M = Ni, Co, or Cu; X = Cl or NO3; n = 2 or 6) in ethanol. The reactions with Co-II and Cu-II chlorides afford complexes of composition M(L)Cl-2 (L = 1 or 2). The reactions of compound 1 with Ni-II salts produce complexes with 1,2-bis(2-aminophenylthio)ethane. The molecular structure of dinitrato[1,2-bis(2-aminophenylthio)ethane]nickel(ii) was confirmed by X-ray diffraction. The ligands and the complexes were investigated by cyclic voltammetry and rotating disk electrode voltammetry. The initial reduction of the complexes proceeds at the metal atom. The oxidation of the chlorine-containing complexes proceeds at the coordinated chloride anion.