Functional model for catecholase-like activity: Synthesis, structure, spectra, and catalytic activity of iron(III) complexes with substituted-salicylaldimine ligands

Four new mononuclear iron(III) complexes with the substituted-salicylaldimine ligands, Fe(L¹)(TCC)] (1), Fe(L²)(TBC)] (2), Fe(L³)(TBC)] (3) and Fe(L⁴)(TCC)](CH₃CN) (4) (HL¹ = N′-(5-OH-salicylaldimine)-diethylenetriamine, HL² = (N′-(5-Cl-salicylaldimine)-diethylenetriamine, HL³ N′-(5-Br-salicyl-aldimine)-dipropylenetriamine, HL⁴ = (N′-3,5-Br-salicylaldimine)-dipropylenetriamine, H₂TCC = tetrachlorocatechol, and H₂TBC = tetrabromocatechol), were prepared and characterized by XRD, EPR, and Mössbauer spectroscopy. The coordination sphere of the Fe(III) in complexes 1-4 is a distorted octahedral with N₃O₃ donors set which constructed by the Schiff-base ligands and the catecholate substrates of TBC or TCC. The in situ prepared Fe(III) complexes Fe(L¹)Cl₂], Fe(L²)Cl₂], Fe(L³)(Cl₂)], and Fe(L⁴)Cl₂] in absence of TBC or TCC show a high catecholase-like activity for the oxidation of 3,5-DTBC to the corresponding quinone 3,5-DTBQ.