Synthesis, Characterization and Computational Studies of 3-{(E) and Molecular Structure of Its Zwitterionic Form

Abstract

The Schiff base 3-{(E)-[(2-hydroxyphenyl)imino]methyl}benzene-1,2-diol was synthesized by the condensation of 2,3-dihydroxybenzaldehyde and 2-aminophenol in water at room temperature. The crystal was grown using two solvents (dry methanol and 60% methanol). The compound was characterized using elemental microanalysis, IR, NMR, UV spectroscopies and single-crystal X-ray diffraction crystallography. The X-ray structure reveals that the Schiff base crystallizes as a methanol solvate in dry methanol with triclinic crystal system, space group P-1 and Z = 2 in the unit cell and as a non-methanol solvate in 60% methanol with triclinic crystal system, space group P-1 and Z = 4 in the unit cell. The compound showed absorption bands at 272, 389, 473 and 602 nm in DMSO. These bands were assigned as π → π ∗, n → π∗ and n-σ∗ transitions. The 473 and 602 nm bands in DMSO reveal that the compound exists in tautomeric forms. The presence of N-H, C-O and C[dbnd]N stretching vibrations in the IR spectrum indicates that the compound is zwitterionic in the solid state. This study was supplemented using density functional theory method. © 2017 Elsevier B.V.