ELECTROCHEMICAL SYNTHESIS OF COBALT(II) AND COBALT(III) COMPLEXES OF SCHIFF-BASES - THE CRYSTAL-STRUCTURE OF TRIS(2-[(2-METHYLPHENYL)IMINOMETHYL]PYRROLATO)COBALT(III)

The electrochemical oxidation of anodic cobalt in an acetonitrile solution of Schiff bases (HL) derived from H-pyrrole-2-carbaldehyde and substituted anilines gives solutions from which [CoL3] complexes were obtained. When 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) or 2,2'-bipyridine (bipy) was added to the electrolytic phase, [CoL2 phen] or [CoL2 bipy] are obtained. The crystal structure of tris{2-[(2-methylphenyl)iminomethyl]pyrrolato} cobalt(III) has been determined by X-ray diffraction. The crystal structure consists of monomeric molecules in which the central CoN6 unit has a slightly distorted octahedral geometry. The electronic, IR and H-1 NMR spectra of the complexes are discussed and related to the structure.