Ruthenium(II) complexes containing bidentate Schiff bases and triphenylphosphine or triphenylarsine

Reactions of ruthenium(II) complexes [RuHX(CO)(EPh3)2(B)] (X = H or Cl; B = EPh3, pyridine (py) or piperidine (pip); E = P or As) with bidentate Schiff base ligands derived by condensing ohydroxyacetophenone with aniline, o- or p-methylaniline have been carried out. The products were characterized by analytical, IR, electronic and 1H-NMR spectral studies and are formulated as [Ru(X)(CO) (L)(EPh3)(B)] (L=Schiff base anion; X=HorCl;B=EPh3,pyorpip;E=PorAs). An octahedral structure has been tentatively proposed for the new complexes. The new complexes were tested for their catalytic activities in the oxidation of benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde.