Studies on Ruthenium(III) Chalconate Complexes Containing PPh₃/AsPh₃

Abstract

The reactions of [RuX₃(EPh₃)₃] (X = Cl or Br; E = P or As) with 2′-hydroxychalcones in benzene under reflux led to the formation of [RuX₂(EPh₃)₂(L)] (X = Cl or Br; E = P or As; L = chalconates). The new complexes have been characterized by analytical and spectroscopic (IR, electronic, and EPR) data. The redox behavior of the complexes has also been studied. Based on the data, an octahedral structure has been assigned for all the complexes. The new complexes exhibit efficient catalytic activity for the oxidation of primary and secondary alcohols into their corresponding aldehydes and ketones in the presence of N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide (NMO) as co-oxidant and also found efficient catalytic activity for the transfer hydrogenation of ketones. The antifungal properties of the complexes have also been examined and compared with standard Bavistin.

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Keywords:

• Antifungal study
• catalytic activity
• cyclic voltammetry
• ruthenium(III) complexes
• spectroscopic characterization

Acknowledgments

The authors express their sincere thanks to Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi [Grant No. 01(2065)/06/EMR-II], for financial support. One of the authors (M.M.) thanks CSIR for the award of Senior Research Fellowship.