Electrochemical and spectroscopic characterization and catalytic activity of Co(II) complexes of tetra-chloro-R-Salen ([tClSalen= bis (3,5-di-chloro-α-R salicylidene)ethylenediamine]) and tetra-chloro-R-Salophen ([tClSalophen= bis (3,5-di-chloro-α-R salicylidene)-1,2-phenylenediamine]), R=H, CH3, CH2-CH3

A series of 3,5-tetra-chloro-R-Salen and 3,5-tetra-chloro-R-Salophen Co(II) complexes, (where R = H, CH3, and CH2-CH3; Salen is bis(salicylaldehyde)ethylenediimine; and Salophen is bis(salicylaldehyde) N,N′-o-phenylendiimine) have been obtained. The synthesis and characterization of the free ligands and Co(II) complexes and also catalytic activity of the complexes are reported in this article. The characterization of the complexes was performed by elemental analyses, cyclic voltammetry, UV-Vis, FT-IR and EPR spectroscopy, and by elemental analyses, UV-Vis and FT-IR spectroscopy for the free ligands. The catalytic oxygenation of 2,6-di-tert-butylphenol, with these complexes, leads to the formation of two products, benzoquinone and diphenoquinone. In this process the Co(II) complexes form reversible adducts with molecular oxygen.