Patent ID: 7709659

Claim:
A catalyst comprising a ligand and a transition metal salt, wherein the metal of said metal salt is selected from the group consisting of: Fe, Zn, Mn, Co, Cu, Ag, Ni, Pt, Pd, Rh, Ru and Ir; and wherein the ligand has the following formula: wherein i, j, k, l, m and n are, independently, H, R, Ar, substituted Ar, OR, OAr, COOEt, halide, SO 2 R, SO 3 H, SO 2 NHR, POR 2 , POAr 2 or NR 2 , where R is an alkyl, substituted alkyl, aryl or substituted aryl and Ar is an aryl; X 1 -X 4 are, independently, O, or CH 2 ; and Y 1 , Y′ 1 , Y 2 , Y′ 2 , Y 3 , Y′ 3 , Y 4 , Y′ 4 , are, independently, R, Ar, OR, OAr, pyrrole or substituted pyrrole, or where R, Ar, OR, OAr, pyrrole and substituted pyrrole are linked with a carbon to carbon bond, CH 2 , NH, NR or O.