Synthesis and complexation of a novel soluble vic-dioxime with hydroxyethyl pendant arms

A new soluble vic-dioxime ligand namely 1,4-bis(2'-hydroxyethyl)-2,3-bis(hy droxyimino)-5,6-diphenylpiperazine, (LH2) containing optically active cente rs has been prepared as a mixture of isomers from (CNO)(2) and N,N-bis(2-hy droxyethyl)stilbendiamine (1) which has been made by the reduction of the c ondensation of the product of benzaldehyde and 2-aminoethanol in the presen ce of aluminum amalgam. N,N-coordinated planar metal complexes of this liga nd have been synthesized with Ni-II, Cu-II, Co-II, Pd-II and (UO2)-O-VI. Ox idation of (LH)(2)Co in the presence of a base, such as pyridine, leads to an octahedral complex (LH)(2)CopyCl containing pyridine and chloride as axi al ligands in addition to vic-dioxime ligands. The structures of the ligand and its complexes are proposed on the basis of elemental analysis, H-1-n.m .r., mass, i.r. and u.v.-vis. spectral data.