Synthesis, crystal structure, DFT study and photocatalytic property of a new Ni(II) complex of a symmetric N2O4-donor bis-Schiff base ligand

Abstract

A new complex, Ni(C22H26N2O10S2)·2CH3OH, with a sexidentate (N2O4) symmetric bis-Schiff base ligand (C22H26N2O10S2 = 1,2-bis(2-methoxy-6-formylphenoxy)ethane-2-aminoethane-sulfonic acid) has been synthesized and characterized by physico-chemical and spectroscopic methods. The X-ray crystal structure shows that the Ni(II) atom of the complex is six-coordinated by two nitrogens from CN groups, two oxygens from ether groups and two hydroxyl oxygens from sulfonic acid groups in the mono-ligand, forming a distorted octahedral geometry. Theoretical study of the complex is carried out by density functional theory (DFT) method and the B3LYP method employing the 6-3l+G* basis set. Moreover, the complex proved to be good candidate for the photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue.