Abnormal effect of hydroxyl on the longest wavelength maximum in ultraviolet absorption spectra for bis-aryl Schiff bases

Abstract

Two sets of bis-aryl Schiff bases that contain 4(or 4′)-OH and 2(or 2′)-OH were synthesized. The first set consists of 4-HOArCH=NArY and XArCH=NArOH-4′, and the second set consists of 2-HOArCH=NArY and XArCH=NArOH-2′. Their ultraviolet absorption spectra were measured and investigated. A very interesting phenomenon was observed by analyzing their wave number νmax (cm−1) of longest wavelength maximum λmax (nm) of ultraviolet. Compared with the change regularity of the νmax of XArCH=NArY (where the X and Y excluded OH), the 4′-position hydroxyl (4′-OH) and 2′-position hydroxyl (2′-OH) have abnormal performance. The details are the following: the 4′-OH contributes an additional red shift to the νmax of XArCH=NArOH-4′ (λmax increase), whereas the 2′-OH contributes an additional blue shift to the νmax of XArCH=NArOH-2′ (λmax decrease). In addition, there are ortho steric effects of all 2-OH and 2′-OH on the νmax for 2-HOArCH=NArY and XArCH=NArOH-2′, and the ortho steric effect contributes a red shift to their νmax. These experimental facts can provide an important theoretical reference for us using aryl Schiff base compounds as optical materials and performing the molecular design.