Quantum chemical investigation and statistical analysis of the relationship between corrosion inhibition efficiency and molecular structure of xanthene and its derivatives on mild steel in sulphuric acid

A density functional theory (DFT) study of xanthene (XEN) and two of its derivatives namely xanthone (XAN) and xanthione (XION) recently used as corrosion inhibitors for mild steel in 0.5 M H2SO4 was undertaken at the B3LYP/631G (d) level. Inhibition efficiency obtained experimentally followed the order: XEN < XAN < XION. It was found that when the organic molecules adsorbed on the steel surface, molecular structure influences their interaction mechanism and by extension their inhibition efficiencies. The quantum chemical properties/descriptors most relevant to their potential action as corrosion inhibitors have been calculated in the neutral and protonated forms in aqueous phase for comparison. They include: Total energy (TE), EHOMO, ELUMO, energy gap (ΔE), dipole moment (D  ), molecular area (MA), molecular volume (MV), hardness (η), softness (σ˙), the fractions of electrons transferred (ΔN), electrophilicity index (ω) and total energy change (ΔET). The quantum chemical parameters/descriptors were correlated with inhibition effect of the three inhibitors and were further used to explain the electron transfer mechanism between the inhibitors and the steel surface. Furthermore, equations were proposed using the non-linear and the multiple-linear regression analysis. The theoretical obtained results were found to be consistent with the experimental data reported.

► Xanthene and its derivatives have been found to be effective inhibitors for the corrosion of mild steel in acidic medium.
► Quantum chemical parameters were calculated using DFT.
► The multiple-linear regression analyses fitted the theoretical data well.
► The results obtained in this study indicated that protonated species represent better the actual experimental situation.