Synthesis, characterization, structural optimization using density functional theory and superoxide ion scavenging activity of some Schiff bases

Four Schiff bases, 2-[(4-nitro-phenylimino)-methyl]-phenol (NPIMP-2), 4-[(4-nitro-phenylimino)-methyl]-phenol (NPIMP-4), (1H-indol-3-ylmethylene)-(4-nitro-phenyl)-amine (IYNPA), (3-nitro-benzylidene)-(4-nitro-phenyl)-amine (NBNPA) with experimental clue of binding with superoxide ion have been synthesized by the condensation of p-nitroaniline with o-hydroxy benzaldehyde, p-hydroxybenzaldehyde, indole-3-carboxaldehyde and m-nitrobenzaldehyde respectively. These were characterized by IR, 1H NMR, CHN, mass spectroscopy and UV–visible spectroscopy. The Schiff bases thus synthesized exhibited evidence for their binding with superoxide ion in the form of a high intensity charge transfer band beyond 500 nm in their respective UV–vis spectra on the addition of two drops of N/10 NaOH to their respective 10−2 M solutions in DMSO. On further addition of two drops of N/10 HCl solution, the charge transfer band vanished and the original spectral pattern of the Schiff bases in DMSO was observed. Out of the four Schiff bases, the binding of NPIMP-4 with O2- was observed to be reversible throughout both the cycles of measurements, but the remaining Schiff bases, namely NPIMP-2, IYNPA and NBNPA were found to show reversibility in only one cycle. The variable temperature 1H NMR (RT-175 °C) in DMSO-d6 revealed reversible intramolecular proton transfer in NPIMP-2 and NPIMP-4 leading to existence of several tautomeric structures. Besides these synthetic and spectroscopic studies, the density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed for two Schiff bases i.e., NPIMP-2 and NPIMP-4. These calculations provided some important information about the relative stability of various tautomeric forms of NPIMP-2 and NPIMP-4.