Microwave synthesis of the Schiff base metal-ligand complexes with Cu and Ni centres

Abstract

Nitric oxide (NO) plays a vital role as a biological messenger in biological systems. However, NO detection and quantification have always posed significant complications. There is, therefore, a need to develop new materials or technologies that can be used for sampling and determination of NO species in aqueous environments. The use of Schiff base complexes incorporated onto electrodes to make an electrochemical sensor has been explored as an effective method for the determination and quantification of NO in aqueous solutions. The motivation is based on the precedent of denatured cytochrome C as a suitable complexing site for electron-rich species. The ligands and metals complexes used in this work aim to mimic the square planar arrangement of Fe in denatured cytochrome. It is believed that the accessibility of the haem Fe in this configuration is at the heart of the analyte interactions leading to favourable signal transduction. In preparing the Schiff base and corresponding metal complexes, a microwave-assisted synthetic method, was employed.