Bimetallic complexes of porphyrinphenanthroline: Preparation and catalytic activities

Condensation of tetraphenylporphyrin-2,3-dione with 1,10-phenanthroline-5,6-diamine provided porphyrinphenanthroline (2) as the desired ligand. Metallation of the porphyrinic site of 2 with CoCl2, NiCl2, ZnCl2 and CuCl2 afforded the corresponding metal complexes [Co(2)] (8a), [Ni(2)] (8b), [Zn(2)] (8c) and [Cu(2)] (8d), respectively. Subsequent reactions of these metalloporphyrins with [(COD)PdCl2] yielded the corresponding bimetallic complexes [Co/Pd (9a), Ni/Pd (9b), Zn/Pd (9c) and Cu/Pd (9d)] in high yields. The bimetallic complex 9e (Mg/Pd) was prepared directly by complexation of 2 with MgBr2 and [(COD)PdCl2]. All complexes were characterized by both spectroscopic and elemental analyses. In addition, crystal structure of 9c was determined to confirm its formulation. The use of these bimetallic complexes as pre-catalysts for Mizoroki–Heck coupling reaction has been examined.