Seyan Ayinde and Gina Chiarella (Faculty Mentor

Synthesis of Schiff Bases using m-Diamminobenzene and Salicylaldehyde

Seyan Ayinde and Gina Chiarella (Faculty Mentor) ESEM Project - Department of Chemistry

Marvin D. and June Samuel Brailsford College of Arts and Sciences

Prairie View A&M University

Schiff bases, identified in 1864 by Hugo Schiff, are a key class of organic compounds that are widely formed by the condensation of aldehyde and a primary amine. Schiff bases are structurally recognized as a compound where an imine or azomethine group replaces the functional carbonyl group. These compounds are frequently used as ligands for transition metals in the preparation of metal complexes. The electron donor atoms in those ligands are nitrogen and oxygen, resembling one of the most common features of metalloenzymes. Indeed, nitrogen and oxygen donor atoms in several enzymes as galactose oxidase, different types of Catalase, superoxide dismutase, and porphyrin-based enzymes. Due to this similitude, researchers use Schiff bases to mimic metalloenzymes and study their properties; in this research project, our goal is to study the catalytic potential of metal complexes containing Schiff bases as an environmentally friendly and alternative technology to industrial catalysts, pharmaceutical products, and possible medicines instead of the regular compounds already in use and associated with environmental pollution, and undesirable side effects. Few studies on the usage of Schiff bases using mdiaminobenzene dichloride and salicylaldehyde have been performed. In this experiment, the chemical interaction of these two chemicals in absolute ethanol solution led to a Schiff's synthesis successfully in high yield. Spectroscopic methods have characterized the compound as infrared and ultraviolet-visible. The preliminary results of the experiment suggest this substance is pure. The ligand has been reacted with copper (II) acetate to produce a metal complex. The synthesis led to a high yield product and the spectroscopic methods determine the compound as infrared and ultraviolet-visible. A described benefit of the synthesized Schiff base is the high reactivity yield under mild conditions and the activity of anti-fungal/bacterial biological properties.

Key words: Catalyst, environmentally safe, Schiff bases, Nitrogen Oxygen electron donor

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