Synthesis, characterization and spectra studies on Zn(II) and Cu(II) complexes with thiocarbamide ligand containing Schiff base group

Abstract

The ligand of 4-phenyl-1-(1-phenylethylidene)thiosemicarbazide (HL) and its metal complexes of ZnL₂ (1) and CuL₂ (2) have been synthesized. Elemental analysis, IR and X-ray single crystal diffraction characterizations for 1 and 2 have been carried out. In the complexes 1 and 2, the central metallic ions Zn²⁺ and Cu²⁺, coordinate with two deprotonated ligands, L⁻, respectively and adopt distorted tetrahedral geometries. The thermal analyses result shows that the two complexes undergo two similar decomposition processes because of their similar geometric configurations. For the two complexes, UV–Vis spectra have been measured and DFT calculations at B3LYP/LANL2DZ level of theory prove that the electronic spectra of 1 are corresponding with intraligand electronic transitions, and the electronic spectra of 2 are attributed to intraligand electronic transitions as well as d–d electronic transitions. Fluorescence spectra measurements indicate that the complex of 1 emits stronger fluorescence than the ligand of HL, and the complex 2 does not emit fluorescence at all. Electrochemical analyses reveal that both the oxidation peak currents and the reduction peak currents of 1 and 2 are stronger than those of the ligand, respectively.