Ruthenium(II) 9,10-phenanthrenequinone thiosemicarbazone complexes: synthesis, characterization, and catalytic activity towards the reduction as well as condensation of nitriles

Abstract

The ligands 9,10-phenanthrenequinone-N⁴-substituted thiosemicarbazones (HL_1–3) and their ruthenium(II) complexes were synthesized and characterized by elemental and spectroscopic methods. The ligands are tridentate, monobasic chelating ligands with O, N, and S as the donor sites and are in the thiol form in all the complexes. Catalytic studies showed that all the complexes displayed good catalytic activity towards the reduction of nitriles and also the condensation of nitriles with 2-aminoalcohol under solvent-free conditions.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• Ruthenium(II) complexes
• Thiosemicarbazones
• Catalytic activity
• Reduction of nitriles
• 2-Oxazolines

Acknowledgements

The authors express their sincere thanks to Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi [grant number 01(2437)/10/EMR-II] for financial support. One of the authors (PA) thanks CSIR for the award of Senior Research Fellowship.