The reaction of salicylidene-l-alanine with the Co(III) complex involv
ing 2,2':6',2''-terpyridine (terpy) in aqueous ethanol solution afford
ed a peculiar transamination to form the complex, [Co(alpha-hydroxy sa
licylidene-o-hydroxybenzplamine) (terpy)](+), whose structure has been
confirmed by X-ray structure analysis and positive FAB mass spectrome
try.