Synthesis[edit source | editbeta]

Schiff bases can be synthesized from an aromatic amine and a carbonyl compound by nucleophilic addition forming a hemiaminal, followed by a dehydration to generate an imine. In a typical reaction, 4,4'-diaminodiphenyl ether reacts with o-vanillin:[4] Schiff bases are synthesized either in the presence of acid or base but mostly acid is used as catalyst why? Why Schiff bases are synthesised in presence of acid or base but mostly acid is used as a catalyst why? Either it make the carbonyl carbon more electrophilic via protonation of oxygen of carbonyl group..

Schiff bases are the most widely used versatile ligands, able to coordinate many elements and to stabilize them in various oxidation states. Recently, this class of compounds has been employed as models for biological systems, and in control of stereochemistry in six-coordinate transition metal complexes. Recently, the chemistry of organotin(IV) complexes of Schiff bases has also stemmed from their antitumour, antimicrobial, antinematicidal, anti-insecticidal and anti-inflammatory activities. Furthermore, organotin(IV) complexes of Schiff bases present a wide variety of interesting structural possibilities. Both aliphatic and aromatic Schiff bases in their neutral and deprotonated forms have been used to yield adducts and chelates with variable stoichiometry and different modes of coordination. This critical review (>155 references) focuses upon the chemistry and biological applications of organotin(IV) complexes of Schiff bases reported in the past 15 years. Thermal behavior of these complexes is also discussed. Hugo Schiff described the condensation between an aldehyde and an amine leading to a Schiff base in 1864.2Schiff base ligands are able to coordinate metals through imine nitrogen and another group, usually linked to the aldehyde. Modern chemists still prepare Schiff bases, and nowadays active and well-designed Schiff base ligands are considered privileged ligands. In fact, Schiff bases are able to stabilize manydifferent metals in various oxidation states, controlling the performance of metals in a large variety of useful catalytic transformations. In this article we show that Schiff bases arealso able to transmit chiral information to produce nonracemic products through a catalytic process; chiral aldehydesor chiral amines can be used. From a practical point of view, the aspects involved in the preparation of Schiff base metalcomplexes are spread out in the literature. We wish to summarize and introduce some practical guidelines for thepreparation and use of Schiff base metal complexes in catalysis.The present review will focus on the different ways of preparing metal complexes and their use in catalytic processes. 1 Introduction Schiff bases are condensation products of primary amines with carbonyl compounds and they were first reported by Schiff [1] in 1864. The common structural feature of these compounds is the

azomethine group with a general formula RHC=N-R1, where R and R1 are alkyl, aryl, cyclo alkyl or heterocyclic groups which may be variously substituted. These compounds are also knows as anils, imines or azomethines. Several studies [2-8] showed that the presence of a lone pair of electrons in an sp2 hybridized orbital of nitrogen atom of the azomethine group is of considerable chemical and biological importance. Because of the relative easiness of preparation, synthetic flexibility, and the special property of C=N group, Schiff bases are generally excellent chelating agents,[6-12] especially when a functional group like OH or SH is present close to the azomethine group so as to form a five or six membered ring with the metal ion. Versatility of Schiff base ligands and biological, analytical and industrial applications of their complexes make further investigations in

Later, in studies concerning quantitative structure-antitumor activity relationship of a series of Schiff bases derived from variously substituted aromatic amines and aldehydes, it has been shown that azomethines from salicylaldehydes gave the best correlation [21, 22]. Schiff bases of salicylaldehydes have also been reported as plant growth regulators [23] and antimicrobian [24] or antimycotic [25] activity. Schiff bases also show some analytical applications [26]. Schiff Bases are characterized by the -N=CH- (imine) group which imports in elucidating the mechanism of transamination and rasemination reaction in biological system [27, 28]. Schiff bases are active against a wide range of organisms for example; Candida Albicans, Escherichia coli Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus polymxa, Trychophyton gypseum, Mycobacteria, Erysiphe graminis and Plasmopora viticola. , An interesting application of Schiff bases is their use as an effective corrosion inhibitor, which is based on their ability to spontaneously form a monolayer on the surface to be protected. Many commercial inhibitors include aldehydes or amines, but presumably due to the C=N bond the Schiff bases function more efficiently in many cases [37]. The principal interaction between the inhibitor and the metal surface is chemisorption [38]. The inhibitor molecule should have centers capable of forming bonds with the metal surface by electron