Lacunar cobalt complexes for oxygen separation

摘要

The present invention is a cobalt complex having the structural formula: <IMAGE> wherein each R1 is independently hydrogen, a phenyl or a C1-C6 alkyl group; each R2 is independently hydrogen or a C1-C6 alkyl group; R3 is a C4-C30 hydrocarbyl radical connecting the two carbonyl carbons; and Y is o-phenylene, -CH2)a wherein "a" is 2 or 3, -CH2)bNR4-CH2)c, wherein "b" and "c" are independently 2 or 3 and R4 is hydrogen or a C1-C12 alkyl group. These complexes have the ability to selectively and reversibly bind oxygen, thus making them useful components of oxygen separation membranes and absorbents.