Synthesis, characterization, electrochemical behaviour and catalytic activity of manganese(II) complexes with linear and tripodal tetradentate ligands derived from Schiff bases

New manganese(II) complexes, [Mn(H2L)(H2O)2]Cl2· xH2O, with linear and tripodal tetradentate ligands have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, molar conductance, i.r. spectra, magnetic measurements and electronic and e.s.r. spectra. The data show that the ligands are neutral and coordinate to manganese in a tetradentate manner; the other axial sites are occupied by the water molecules. Magnetic and e.s.r. data show that manganese(II) adopts a high-spin configuration in the complexes. The electrochemical behaviour of the complexes, determined by cyclic voltammetry, shows that the chelate structure, ligand geometry and electron donating effect of the ligand substituents are among the factors influencing the redox potentials of the complexes. In addition, we note that linear ligands stabilize the manganese(III) state to a greater extent than tripodal ligands and their complexes vigorously catalyse the disproportionation of hydrogen peroxide in the presence of added imidazole.