Several novel routes for the immobilization of modified Cu(salicylaldimine) complexes on commercially availablesilica are described. New pulse electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and electron-nuclear double resonancesequences, which provide more detailed information than that available previously, in combination with continuouswave EPR, allow a definitive assignment of the geometry at the copper center in the immobilized Cu(salicylaldimine).Immobilization of the modified Cu(salicylaldimine) on silica was followed in situ by monitoring the intensity of thecharacteristic free- and metal-coordinated imine bands as a function of time using attenuated total reflectance IRspectroscopy. On the basis of these studies, the outcome of the Schiff base condensation of Cu-bis(salicylaldehyde)with
![](/images/gifchars/gamma.gif)
-aminopropyl-modified silica gel is shown to provide immobilized
trans-O
2N
2- and O
3N-coordinated immobilizedCu(salicylaldimine)-type compounds. In addition,
trans-O
2N
2- or O
3N-coordinated copper centers are selectivelyprepared on silica by controlling the aminopropyl modifier loading, thus opening a route to compounds not availableby conventional synthesis. The O
3N-coordinated Cu(salicylaldimine)-type compound on silica was investigated asa precursor for the synthesis of a tethered chiral Cu(salicylaldimine) via reaction of the coordinated carbonyl groupwith (
R)-(+)-
![](/images/gifchars/alpha.gif)
-methylbenzylamine. Supported Cu(salicylaldimine) was also prepared via the immobilization of theappropriate silylethoxy-modified homogeneous precursor on silica gel. Precursors and silica-supported Cu(salicylaldimine) materials have been fully characterized. Comparisons are drawn with related Cu(salicylaldimine) immobilizedin silica aerogels.