Abstract
Several ruthenium(II) Schiff base complexes derived from bis(pyrrole‐2‐carboxaldehyde)‐3,4‐toluenediimine, bis(pyrrole‐2‐carboxaldehyde)‐1, 2‐cyclohexanediimine, bis(pyrrole‐2‐carboxaldehyde)‐1,8‐naphthalindi-imine, bis(pyrrole‐2‐carboxaldehyde)‐1,3‐propylenediimine, bis(pyrrole‐2‐carboxaldehyde)‐1,2‐phenylenediimine and bis(pyrrole‐2‐carboxaldehyde)‐ethylenediimine, and lanthanide(III) Schiff base complexes derived from N‐(2‐pyrrolylmethylene)‐2‐aminophenol were synthesized. All the complexes were characterized by analytical and spectroscopic methods. The ruthenium Schiff base complexes were found to be effective catalysts for the oxidation of primary alcohols in the presence of N‐methylmorpholine‐N‐oxide as oxidant.