Use of metal complex compounds as oxidation catalysts

A metal complex compound of formula

• [LnMemXp]zYq (1a),
• wherein Me is manganese, titanium, iron, cobalt, nickel or copper,
• X is CH3CN, H2O, F−, Cl−, Br−, HOO−, O22−, O2−, R17COO−, R17O−, LmeO− or LmeOO− wherein R17 is hydrogen or unsubstituted C1-C18alkyl or aryl;
• or R17 is C1-C18alkyl substituted by hydroxyl, C1-C4 alkoxy, sulfo, or sulfato;
• or R17 is aryl substituted by C1-C4alkyl, C1-C4alkoxy, halogen, cyano, nitro, carboxyl, sulfo, hydroxyl, amino, N-mono- or N,N-di-C1-C4alkylamino unsubstituted or substituted by hydroxy in the alkyl moiety, N-phenylamino, N-naphthylamino, phenyl, phenoxy or by naphthoxy;
• n and m are each independently of the other an integer having a value of from 1 to 8,
• p is an integer having a value from 0 to 32,
• z is the charge of the metal complex,
• Y is a counter-ion,
• q =z/(charge Y), and
• L is a ligand of formula
• wherein
• R6 is —NR14R15 or —N⊕R14R15R16 wherein R14 and R15 together with the nitrogen atom bonding them form an unsubstituted or substituted 6-membered ring selected from the group consisting of piperidine, piperazine and morpholine;
• R16 is independently of the other(s) hydrogen or unsubstituted C1-C18alkyl or aryl;
• or R16 is C1-C18alkyl substituted by hydroxyl, C1-C4 alkoxy, sulfo, or sulfato;
• or R16 is aryl substituted by C1-C4alkyl, C1-C4alkoxy, halogen, cyano, nitro, carboxyl, sulfo, hydroxyl, amino, N-mono- or N,N-di-C1-C4alkylamino unsubstituted or substituted by hydroxy in the alkyl moiety, N-phenylamino, N-naphthylamino, phenyl, phenoxy or by naphthoxy;
• and
• R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R7, R8, R9, R10 and R11 are each independently of the others as defined above for R6 or are hydrogen or unsubstituted aryl;
• or R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R7, R8, R9, R10 and R11 are aryl substituted by C1-C4alkyl, C1-C4alkoxy, halogen, cyano, nitro, carboxyl, sulfo, hydroxyl, amino, N-mono- or N,N-di-C1-C4alkylamino unsubstituted or substituted by hydroxy in the alkyl moiety, N-phenylamino, N-naphthylamino, phenyl, phenoxy or by naphthoxy;
• or
• R1, R2, R3, R4, R5, R7, R8, R9, R10 and R11 are unsubstituted C1-C18alkyl;
• cyano;
• halogen;
• nitro;
• —COOR12 or —SO3R12 wherein R12 is in each case hydrogen, a cation or unsubstituted C1-C18alkyl or aryl;
• —SR13, —SO2R13 or —OR13 wherein R13 is in each case hydrogen or unsubstituted C1-C18alkyl or aryl;
• —N(R13)—NR′13R″13 wherein R13, R′13 and R″13 are as defined above for R13;
• —NR14R15 or —N⊕R14R15R16 wherein R14, R15 and R16 are each independently of the other(s) hydrogen or unsubstituted C1-C18alkyl or aryl;
• wherein R12, R13, R14, R15, and/or R16 each independently of the others as defined above or are C1-C18alkyl substituted by hydroxyl, C1-C4 alkoxy, sulfo, or sulfato;
• R12, R13, R14, R15, and/or R16 each independently of the others as defined above or are aryl substituted by C1-C4alkyl, C1-C4alkoxy, halogen, cyano, nitro, carboxyl, sulfo, hydroxyl, amino, N-mono- or N,N-di-C1-C4alkylamino unsubstituted or substituted by hydroxy in the alkyl moiety, N-phenylamino, N-naphthylamino, phenyl, phenoxy or by naphthoxy;
• and
• with the proviso that when Me is titanium, iron, cobalt, nickel or copper, R3 and R9 are not hydrogen and the three radicals R3, R6 and R9 do not have identical meanings.