A Cobalt(II) Cryptate of a Heteroditopic Cryptand L as an Efficient Oxygenation Catalyst of Organic Substrates Using Molecular Oxygen and 2-Methylpropanal

The cryptand L can accommodate a Co(II) ion inside the cavity at the tren end, forming a CoN4 complex. The Co(II) ion further accepts a SCN- anion, forming a distorted trigonal bipyramidal complex. The Co(II) cryptate can act as an efficient catalyst for oxygenation of organic substrates using molecular oxygen and 2-methylpropanal. While the olefinic substrates form epoxides, the benzylic substrates are converted to the corresponding ketones in excellent yields.