Synthesis and Reactivity in Inorganic, Metal-Organic and Nano-Metal Chemistry, 35:855–863, 2005
Copyright # 2005 Taylor & Francis, Inc.
ISSN: 1553-3174 print/1532-2440 online
DOI: 10.1080/15533170500357855
Synthesis, Characterization, Thermal Decomposition,
and Antimicrobial Studies of Copper(I) Complexes of
1,3-Dihydro-4,5-Di(4-Methoxyphenyl)Imidazolin-2-Thione
Saradamma Jayasree and Kuttamath Kunniyur Aravindakshan
Department of Chemistry, University of Calicut, Kerala, India
1983). However, investigations on the omplexation behaviour
The reaction between 1,3-dihydro-4,5-di-(4-methoxyphenyl) of aryl substituted imidazolin-2-thiones are scanty (Mohanan
imidazolin-2-thione (MDPIT) with seven different copper(II)
salts were carried out to synthesize and characterize the corre-
sponding complexes. These complexes have the general formulae
[CuLX(H2O)], where X 5 OAc, Cl, Br, NO3, ClO4 or CNS, and
and Aravindakshan, 1989). We describe the synthesis, character-
ization, thermal decomposition and antimicrobial studies of 1,3-
dihydro-4,5-di(4-methoxyphenyl)imidazolin-2-thione (MDPIT)
and its copper(I) complexes, which are formed by the reaction
[Cu2L2(SO4)(H2O)]. Characterization of the complexes was done
by chemical analyses, molar conductance, magnetic susceptibility, between copper(II) salts and the ligand (Figure 1).
electronic, infrared and 1H NMR spectral studies. Thermo-
gravimetric studies of complexes were carried out and kinetic
parameters for the various decomposition stages were also
calculated. Preliminary investigations on the antifungal and anti-
EXPERIMENTAL
bacterial activities of the ligand and some of its complexes were
also made.
Synthesis of MDPIT
MDPIT was synthesized by a general method (Mohanan and
Aravindakshan, 1989), which involved two steps.
Keywords 1,3-Dihydro-4,5-di-(4-methoxyphenyl)imidazolin-2-thione,
copper(I) complexes, synthesis, characterization,
thermal decompression, antimicrobial studies
Preparation of Anisoin (4,40-dimethoxybenzoin)
Anisoin was prepared by refluxing a solution of anisalde-
hyde (100 mmol, 12 mL) in 50% ethanol (5 mL) with an
aqueous solution of sodium cyanide (100 mmol in 10 mL) for
2.5 h. On refrigeration, anisoin separated out.
INTRODUCTION
Imidazolin-2-thiones are versatile ligands due to the presence
of exocyclic sulfur and the ring nitrogen atoms. Their ability
to reduce copper(II) to copper(I) producing complexes with
unpredictable structures has created a lot of interest. Moreover,
these compounds are biologically active and have applications
in various other fields including corrosion prevention. The
coordination behaviour of unsubstituted imidazolin-2-thione,
their methyl- and ethyl derivatives and their saturated analogues
have been reported (Creighton et al., 1985; Raper and Crackett,
1981; Shanmugam and Sathyanarayana, 1983; Raper et al.,
Preparation of the Ligand (MDPIT)
Anisoin (50 mmol, 11.2 g) and ammonium thiocyanate
(120 mmol, 9.1 g) were refluxed in isoamyl alcohol (250 mL)
for about 1 h. On cooling, an ivory coloured solid compound
separated out, which was filtered and washed thoroughly
with diethylether and dried over P4O10. It was then crystallized
from ethanol.
Preparation of Copper(I) Complexes of MDPIT
A methanolic solution (20 mL) of the ligand (1 mmol,
0.313 g) was kept at refluxing temperature and to it was
added slowly a methanolic solution (20 mL) of the copper(II)
salt (1 mmol). Some complexes precipitated out instantly,
while others formed only after refluxing for 1 h. The solid com-
plexes were filtered, washed thoroughly with methanol and
dried under reduced pressure over P4O10. The thiocyanate
complex was prepared by adding a methanolic solution
(20 mL) of copper(II) acetate (1 mmol, 0.200 g) to a methanolic
Received 24 May 2004; accepted 16 August 2005.
The authors thank Dr. M. P. Kannan, Professor and former Head of
the Department of Chemistry, University of Calicut and the Regional
Sophisticated Instrumentation Centre, Central Drug Research Insti-
tute, Lucknow, and the Regional Research Laboratory, Trivandrum,
for providing laboratory facilities. Thanks are also due to the Univer-
sity Grants Commission, New Delhi for financial assistance.
Address correspondence to Kuttamath Kunniyur Aravindakshan,
Department of Chemistry, University of Calicut, Kerala 673 635,
India. E-mail: aravindkuttamath@yahoo.com
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