Synthesis and characterization of Cu(II), Co(II) and Ni(II) complexes of a number of sulfadrug azodyes and their application for wastewater treatment

•A number of sulfa drug azodyes were synthesized.•The synthesized azodyes were characterized by 1H NMR, mass and IR spectral analysis.•Cu(II), Co(II) and Ni(II) complexes the azodye ligands were synthesized and characterized.•The prepared complexes have been found to have octahedral structures.•Applications of the prepared complexes in the oxidative degradation of indigo carmine dyes were evaluated.

The azodye ligand (HL1) was synthesized from the coupling of sulfaguanidine diazonium salt with 2,4-dihydroxy-benzaldehyde while the two ligands, HL2 and HL3, were prepared by the coupling of sulfadiazine diazonium salt with salicylaldehyde (HL2) and 2,4-dihydroxy-benzaldehyde (HL3). The prepared ligands were characterized by elemental analysis, IR, 1H NMR and mass spectra. Cu(II), Co(II) and Ni(II) complexes of the prepared ligands have been synthesized and characterized by various spectroscopic techniques like IR, UV–Visible as well as magnetic and thermal (TG and DTA) measurements. It was found that all the ligands behave as a monobasic bidentate which coordinated to the metal center through the azo nitrogen and α-hydroxy oxygen atoms in the case of HL1 and HL3. HL2 coordinated to the metal center through sulfonamide oxygen and pyrimidine nitrogen. The applications of the prepared complexes in the oxidative degradation of indigo carmine dye exhibited good catalytic activity in the presence of H2O2 as an oxidant. The reactions followed first-order kinetics and the rate constants were determined. The degradation reaction involved the catalytic action of the azo-dye complexes toward H2O2 decomposition, which can lead to the generation of HO radicals as a highly efficient oxidant attacking the target dye. The detailed kinetic studies and the mechanism of these catalytic reactions are under consideration in our group.

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