Dioxo-bridged dinuclear manganese(III) and -(IV) complexes of pyridyl donor tripod ligands: combined effects of steric substitution and chelate ring size variations on structural, spectroscopic, and electrochemical properties.

The syntheses and structural, spectral, and electrochemical characterization of the dioxo-bridged dinuclear Mn(III) complexes [LMn(mo-O)(2)MnL](ClO(4))(2), of the tripodal ligands tris(6-methyl-2-pyridylmethyl)amine (L(1)) and bis(6-methyl-2-pyridylmethyl)(2-(2-pyridyl)ethyl)amine (L(2)), and the Mn(II) complex of bis(2-(2-pyridyl)ethyl)(6-methyl-2-pyridylmethyl)amine (L(3)) are described. Addition of aqueous H(2)O(2) to methanol solutions of the Mn(II) complexes of L(1) and L(2) produced green solutions in a fast reaction from which subsequently precipitated brown solids of the dioxo-bridged dinuclear complexes 1 and 2, respectively, which have the general formula [LMn(III)(mu-O)(2)Mn(III)L](ClO(4))(2). Addition of 30% aqueous H(2)O(2) to the methanol solution of the Mn(II) complex of L(3) ([Mn(II)L(3)(CH(3)CN)(H(2)O)](ClO(4))(2) (3)) showed a very sluggish change gradually precipitating an insoluble black gummy solid, but no dioxo-bridged manganese complex is produced. By contrast, the Mn(II) complex of the ligand bis(2-(2-pyridyl)ethyl)(2-pyridylmethyl)amine (L(3a)) has been reported to react with aqueous H(2)O(2) to form the dioxo-bridged Mn(III)Mn(IV) complex. In cyclic voltammetric experiments in acetonitrile solution, complex 1 shows two reversible peaks at E(1/2) = 0.87 and 1.70 V (vs Ag/AgCl) assigned to the Mn(III)(2) <--> Mn(III)Mn(IV) and the Mn(III)Mn(IV) <--> Mn(IV)(2) processes, respectively. Complex 2 also shows two reversible peaks, one at E(1/2) = 0.78 V and a second peak at E(1/2) = 1.58 V (vs Ag/AgCl) assigned to the Mn(III)(2) <--> Mn(III)Mn(IV) and Mn(III)Mn(IV) <--> Mn(IV)(2) redox processes, respectively. These potentials are the highest so far observed for the dioxo-bridged dinuclear manganese complexes of the type of tripodal ligands used here. The bulk electrolytic oxidation of complexes 1 and 2, at a controlled anodic potential of 1.98 V (vs Ag/AgCl), produced the green Mn(IV)(2) complexes that have been spectrally characterized. The Mn(II) complex of L(3) shows a quasi reversible peak at an anodic potential of E(p,a) of 1.96 V (vs Ag/AgCl) assigned to the oxidation Mn(II) to Mn(III) complex. It is about 0.17 V higher than the E(p,a) of the Mn(II) complex of L(3a). The higher oxidation potential is attributable to the steric effect of the methyl substituent at the 6-position of the pyridyl donor of L(3).