DDT dehalogenation reaction catalyzed by cobalt tetrapyridinoporphyrazine complexes in pyridine solution

CHED 178

Abegayl Thomas, Jianguo Shao, jianguo.shao@mwsu.edu, and Christopher A. Hansen, chris.hansen@mwsu.edu. Department of Chemistry, Midwestern State University, 3410 Taft Blvd., Wichita Falls, TX 76308
DDT, 1,1-bis(4-chlorophenyl)-2,2,2-trichloroethane, used worldwide in the last several decades despite its known hazardous effects on the environment has been accumulated in the soil due to its slow degradation. In this paper, two cobalt tetrapyridinoporphyrazine complexes were examined as to their catalytic properties for the dehalogenation reaction of DDT in pyridine solution. Each investigated cobalt porphyrazine derivative was firstly reduced electrochemically to [(Por)Co(I)]- anion. This species is a supernucleophile and reacts with DDT molecules. The catalytic dehalogenation reaction of coordinated DDT molecules occurs when [(Por)Co(I)]- is stepwise reduced to [(Por)Co(I)]2-. and [(Por)Co(I)]3-. Products of DDT dehalogenation reaction were also examined.