LAUSR

Abstract The copper coordination complex [CuCl(2-OHNA)H 2 O]·H 2 O ( 1 ) was synthesized by the reaction of CuCl 2 ·2H 2 O with in situ generated 2-hydroxynicotinic acid and its crystal structure was determined by single X-ray diffraction methods. It was further characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy, elemental analyses, and thermogravimetric analysis. Complex 1 crystallizes in monoclinic space group P2 1 /c with a  = 8.9797(13), b  = 14.196(2), c  = 7.0738(11) Å, β  = 96.897(2), V  = 895.2(2) Å 3 , M r  = 273.12, D c  = 2.027 g/cm 3 , and Z  = 4. In the structure, complex 1 is linked into 2D sheets via intermolecular hydrogen bonding [N1–H1···O2 (−x+1, y − 1/2, − z+1/2); O5–H10···O2 (− x+1, y + 1/2, − z+1/2); O4–H9···O5 (x, y − 1, z); O4–H8···O5 (− x+2, y + 1, − z)]. The catalytic property of 1 was also investigated in the selective oxidation of benzyl-alkanes using TBHP as oxidant. Under optimized conditions, 1 exhibited high catalytic activity and selectivity toward the corresponding aryl ketones. Graphic Abstract The copper coordination complex [CuCl(2-OHNA)H 2 O]·H 2 O ( 1 ) was synthesized by the reaction of CuCl 2 ·2H 2 O with in situ generated 2-hydroxynicotinic acid and the catalytic property of 1 was also investigated in the selective oxidation of benzyl-alkanes using TBHP as oxidant.