Hydrosoluble Complexes Bearing Tris(pyrazolyl)methane Sulfonate Ligand: Synthesis, Characterization and Catalytic Activity for Henry Reaction

The catalytic activity of the water-soluble scorpionate coordination compounds [Cu(-NN’O-Tpms) 2] ( 1), [Mn(Tpms) 2] ( 2) and Li[FeCl 2(-NN’N’’-Tpms)] ( 3) [Tpms = tris(pyrazolyl)-methane sulfonate, O 3SC(pz) 3], were studied towards the (Henry) reaction between benzaldehyde and nitromethane or nitroethane in aqueous medium to afford, respectively, 2-nitro-1-phenylethanol or 2-nitro-1-phenylpropanol, the latter in the syn and the anti diastereoisomeric forms. Complex 1 exhibited the highest activity under the optimum experimental conditions and was used to broaden the scope of the reaction to include several aromatic aldehydes achieving yields up to 94%. View Full-Tex