Aliphatic C–H hydroxylation activity and durability of a nickel complex catalyst according to the molecular structure of the bis(oxazoline) ligands

Abstract Applicability of the oxazoline-based compounds, bis(2-oxazolynyl)methane (BOX) and 2,6-bis(2-oxazolynyl)pyridine (PyBOX), as supporting ligands of nickel(II) complexes for the catalysis of aliphatic C H hydroxylation with m-CPBA (meta-chloroperoxybenzoic acid) was explored. Substituent groups at the fourth and fifth positions of oxazoline rings and the bridgehead carbon atom of the BOX derivatives affected the catalytic performances toward cyclohexane hydroxylation. Presence of dioxygen led to a reduced catalytic performance of the nickel complexes, except in the case of a fully substituted BOX ligand complex.