摘要:
Bis-branched urea oligomers (B-urea) mainly composed of hexakis(N-arylcarbamoyl)-[3N,4N-bis(ethylamino)]pentaethylenehexamine were obtained by the reaction of triethylenetetramine with 1,2-dibromoethane followed by ureanization with PhNCO. Under neutral conditions the B-urea readily forms stable mononuclear Cu(II) complexes in which a Cu(II) ion is almost fully surrounded by the B-urea ligand, as evidenced by magnetic susceptibility measurements. In the presence of oxygen, this Cu(II) complex (B-urea-Cu(II)) effectively catalyzes oxidative coupling of various substituted phenols. At the same time the Cu(II) ion is reduced to form the corresponding yellow B-urea-Cu(I) complex quantitatively. The Cu(I) state is highly stable for storage in the solid state but can readily be reacted with oxygen in a reversible manner in solution.