Salcomine is a coordination complex derived from the salen ligand and cobalt.

The complex, which is planar, and a variety of its derivatives are carriers for O2 as well as oxidation catalysts.

In this form, the cobalt centers achieve five-coordination via a bridging phenolate ligands.

[3] The 1938 report that this compound reversibly bound O2[8] led to intensive research on this and related complexes for the storage or transport of oxygen.

Solvated derivatives of salcomine, e.g. the chloroformate or the DMF adduct, bind 0.5 equivalent of O2: Salcomine catalyzes the oxidation of 2,6-disubstituted phenols by dioxygen.