The catalytic activity of the water-soluble scorpionate coordination compounds [Cu(-NN’O-Tpms)2] (1), [Mn(Tpms)2] (2) and Li[FeCl2(-NN’N’’-Tpms)] (3) [Tpms = tris(pyrazolyl)-methane sulfonate, O3SC(pz)3], were studied towards the (Henry) reaction between benzaldehyde and nitromethane or nitroethane in aqueous medium to afford, respectively, 2-nitro-1-phenylethanol or 2-nitro-1-phenylpropanol, the latter in the syn and the anti diastereoisomeric forms. Complex 1 exhibited the highest activity under the optimum experimental conditions and was used to broaden the scope of the reaction to include several aromatic aldehydes achieving yields up to 94%.

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The reaction of 2-(2-(dicyanomethylene)hydrazineyl)benzoic acid (H2L1) with copper(II) acetate in the absence or presence of imidazole (im), 4,4'-bipyridine (4,4'-bipy) or pyridine (py) leads to the new complexes [Cu2(CH3OH)2(μ-L1a)2] (1), [Cu(L1a)(im)]...