Nickel (II) complex [NiCl2(DMF)2L2] bearing diaminobenzene and sulfonamide: Crystal structure and catalytic application in the reduction of nitrobenzenes

Abstract

A new Bis[N-(2-aminophenyl)benzenesulfonamide]-di-chloro-Bis[O′-N,N-dimethyl-formamide]-nickel(II) complex [NiCl2(DMF)2L2] was synthesized in DMF solution in reflux media with NiCl2.2H2O and the pre-prepared N-(2-aminophenyl)benzenesulfonamide and the [NiCl2(DMF)2L2] complex was crystallized in DMF/diethyl ether solution, for its single crystal. The complex characterized by FT-IR, elemental analysis, TG-DTA and UV–Vis spectrophotometry methods, and its single crystal study were also performed by X-ray spectroscopy. Additionally, the catalytic efficiency of the fabricated [NiCl2(DMF)2L2] complex was determined by UV–Vis spectrophotometry in the reduction reaction of 2-nitroaniline (2-NA), 4-nitroaniline (4-NA) and nitrobenzene (NB) in presence of NaBH4 in water. The best conversion obtained as a result of the reduction of nitroarenes in the short time of 10 min. was 62.5 %, which was obtained at the 2-NA reduction. The conversion obtained from of the reduction of nitroarenes, are sequenced as 2-NA (62.5 %) > NB (56.5 %) > 4-NA (25.5%) in 10 min. In addition, the reaction products, both aqueous and short-term, are harmless to the environment, which will provide a significant reaction variety in terms of green chemistry.