LAUSR

Abstract Four new metal complexes of a novel Mannich base 5-methyl-2-((4-(pyridin-2-yl)piperazin-1-yl)methyl)phenol (HL) have been prepared. The compounds were characterized by an array of analytical and spectroscopic methods including Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Infra-red and UV–Visible spectroscopy. Compounds 1–4 behaved as effective catalysts towards the oxidation of 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol (3,5-DTBC) to its corresponding quinone in the presence of molecular oxygen in DMF solution while compound 4 proved to be the best catalyst with a turnover rate of 17.93 ± 1.10 h−1 as other complexes showed lower rates of oxidation. Also with the exception of dinuclear iron complex (4); thiocyanate containing Cu(II) complex exhibited lower catecholase activity compared to the Cu(II) complex without it.