Formation and catalytic activity of novel water soluble di[ethylenediaminetetraacetato bis(N-oxido)] lanthanides

Reaction of hydrogen peroxide with ethylenediaminetetraacetato lanthanides results in the formation of water-soluble isomorphous N-oxido ethylenediaminetetraacetato lanthanides K5[Ln(edtaO2)2] · 12H2O [Ln = La (1), Ce (2), Nd (3), H4edta = ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid C10H16O8N2] in weak basic solution, where lanthanide ions are octa-coordinated by two quardentate N-oxido edta ligands, resulting in a distorted anti-tetragonal prism. Based on the comparisons of solid and solution 13C NMR spectra, these compounds are fully dissociated in solution. Catalytic reaction of K5[La(edtaO2)2]·12H2O shows 96% conversion for the reaction of pyridine to pyridine N-oxide at 70 °C.