OXIDATION OF CYCLOHEXANE WITH HYDROGEN-PEROXIDE CATALYZED BY COPPER(II) COMPLEXES CONTAINING N,N-BIS(2-PYRIDYLMETHYL)-BETA-ALANINEAMIDE LIGANDS

In the presence of hydrogen peroxide, a mononuclear copper (II) comple x, [Cu(bdpg)Cl]Cl [where (bdpg) represents N,N-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)-be ta-alanine-amide] exhibits a much higher activity for the oxygenation of cyclohexane than other analogs. Crystal structure determinations an d spectroscopic data indicate that the amide group in the (bdpg) ligan d, which can interact with a hydroperoxide-ion eta(1) - bonded to copp er (II) plays an important role in activation of hydrogen peroxide, le ading to the facile oxygenation of cyclohexane. (C) 1997 Elsevier Scie nce Ltd.