The Synthesis, Characterization, and Reactivity of Sceshiff Base Transition Metal Complex

Research in the Tyler Lab has been focused on determining the reaction conditions which promote full or partial hydrolysis of Schiff Base ligands while ligated to either Cu(II) or Ni(II) metal centers, and if that hydrolysis can be controlled. These compounds have also been studied to determine their biological activity. Specifically, research investigating the antibacterial activity has been of interest due to increased antibiotic resistance. Schiff Bases have been central to this effort, due totheir presence in nature and their use in many medicinal applications including anti-fungal and antimalarial medicines. The research presented here includes the synthesis and characterization of novel Schiff Base ligands and the corresponding metal complexes. The ligands were synthesized by reacting two equivalents of a substituted pyridine aldehyde (R = H, OMe, Me) with ethylenediamine in ethanol, and were characterized by 1H NMR and IR spectroscopies. Complex formation reactions were carried out in a 1:1 ligand to metal molar ratio with several different Cu(II) and Ni(II) salts. The Cu(II) complexes have been characterized with 1H NMR and IR spectroscopies, elemental analysis, and X-Ray crystallography. The ligands and metal complexes were assessed for antibacterial activity using several different methods, including MIC50 studies, and paper disc and agar well diffusions.