Studies on the Catalytic Oxidation Reactions of Skatole using Cobalt Complexes

Abstract

Oxygenation reactions of skatole catalyzed by N, N'-ethylenebis (salicylideniminato) Co (II) [Co (salen)], N, N'-ethylenebis (acetylacetoniminato) Co (II) [Co (acacen)], Co (II)-complex of α, β, γ, δ-tetra (p-methoxyphenyl) porphine [Co (p-OCH₃) TPP] and Co (II)-complex of phthalocyanine (CoPc) were investigated. Remarkable repression of the oxygenation was observed upon addition of a Lewis base such as pyridine, imidazole or N-methylimidazole to the reaction medium. This phenomenon was thought to indicate that the oxygenation proceeds through a ternary complex of the type skatole-Co-complex-O₂. The reaction rate constants and activation energies of all the reactions were also evaluated.