Synthesis,structures, and property studies on Zn(II), Ni(II), and Cu(II) complexes with a Schiff base ligand containing thiocarbamide group

A Schiff base ligand containing thiocarbamide group of 4-phenyl-1-(4-methoxyl-1-phenylethylidene)thiosemicarbazide (HL) and its three mononuclear metal complexes of ZnL₂ (1), NiL₂ (2), and CuL₂ (3) have been synthesized. Elemental analysis, IR, and X-ray single crystal diffraction characterizations for the ligand and the three complexes have been carried out. In the three complexes, the central metallic ions of Zn²⁺, Ni²⁺, and Cu²⁺ coordinate with two deprotonated ligands of L⁻, respectively. In 1, Zn²⁺ ion adopts a distorted tetrahedral geometry, while in 2 and 3, both the Ni²⁺ and Cu²⁺ ions possess distorted square planar configurations. For the four compounds, UV–Vis spectra have been measured and DFT calculations at B3LYP/LANL2DZ level of theory prove that the electronic spectra of HL and 1 are corresponding with electronic transitions of n → π* and π → π* in the ligand itself and the electronic spectra of 2 and 3 are attributed to intraligand electronic transitions as well as d–d electronic transitions. Electrochemical investigations reveal that the different metal–ligand interactions have changed the peak shapes and peak locations, which are corresponding with the DFT-B3LYP/LANL2DZ calculational results. Fluorescence spectra measurements indicate that the ligand emits purple fluorescence and the complex 1 emits stronger blue fluorescence, while the complexes 2 and 3 quench fluorescence. The thermal analyses result show that the three complexes undergo two similar decomposition processes because of their similar geometric configurations.