Synthesis, structure and catalase mimics of novel homoleptic manganese(II) complexes of 1,3-bis(2′-pyridylimino)isoindoline, Mn(4R-ind)2 (R = H, Me)

The preparation of two homoleptic manganese(II) complexes [Mn(4′R-ind)2] [ind is the anion of 1,3-bis(2-pyridylimino)isoindoline, R = H (1), Me (2)] is described. Both complexes have been structurally characterized by UV–Vis and IR spectroscopies. Crystallographic characterization of the [Mn(ind)2] (1) complex has shown that the overall geometry around the six-coordinate manganese(II) ion is described as a slightly distorted octahedron in an N6 donor set. These complexes represent functional model systems for manganese catalases.