Reactivity of Nitric Oxide and Nitrosonium Ion with Copper(II/I) Schiff Base Complexes: Mechanistic Aspects of Imine C═N Bond Cleavage and Oxidation of Pyridine-2-aldehyde to Pyridine-2-carboxylic Acid

Four Schiff base ligands of the general formulas [6-(R)-2-pyridyl-N-(2'-methylthiophenyl)methylenimine] (RL1) and 6-p-chlorophenyl-2-pyridyl-N-(2'-phenylthiophenyl)methylenimine (RL2), where R = H, Me, p-ClPh, and their bis-ligand copper(II) and copper(I) complexes, 1-4 and 1'-4', respectively, were synthesized and characterized. The reactivities of 1-4 with nitric oxide (NO) gas and of 1'-4' with solid NOBF4 (NO+) were examined in dry acetonitrile in the presence and absence of water (H2O). The results revealed that, in the absence of H2O, complexes 1-4 (or 1'-4') reacts with NO (or NOBF4), leading to imine C═N bond cleavage of both (or one) Schiff base(s) that generates 2 (or 1) equiv of 2-(methyl/phenyl)thiobenzenediazonium perchlorates (5/6) and the corresponding picolaldehyde (RPial) via a copper nitrosyl of a {CuNO}10-type intermediate. In the presence of H2O, the in situ formed RPial get oxidized to the corresponding picolinic acid (RPicH) via an in situ formed LCuIOH intermediate (LCuI + HO-NO → LCuIOH + NO+; L = RL1/RL2/RPic- and νO-H of CuIOH = 3650 cm-1) and subsequently produces, with the aid of NO+ oxidant, the picolinate-ligated copper(II) complexes (i) [(HPic)2Cu] (7), [(MePic)4Cu3(NO3)2]n·H2O (8·H2O), or [(ClPhPic)2Cu] (9) when NO reacts with 1-4 or (ii) [(RPic)CuII(RL1/RL2)]+ when NO+ reacts with 1'-4'. The CuII to CuI reduction of [(RPic)CuII(RL1/RL2)]+ is essential for C═N cleavage of the remaining RL1/RL2 Schiff base; excess NO can do it. The X-ray structures (1, 1', 3', 5, 7, and 8) and spectroscopic results revealed the role of CuII/I, NO, NO+, and H2O, shedding light on the mechanism of C═N bond cleavage and the oxidation of pyridine-2-aldehyde to pyridine-2-carboxylic acid. The reaction of 1 with 15NO revealed that the terminal N of the N2+ group of 5 originates from 15NO [ν14N14N- = 2248 cm-1 and ν15N14N- = 2212 cm-1].