The fluorescence properties of metal complexes of alkyl derivatives of aromatic schiff bases

Seventeen alkylated salicylidene-o-aminophenol derivatives were tested as fluorimetric reagents for aluminium, gallium, indium, scandium and beryllium. The aluminium, gallium and beryllium complexes are intensely fluorescent, and the scandium and indium complexes weakly fluorescent. The fluorescence properties of the aluminium, gallium and beryllium complexes were studied and conditions for the fluorimetric determination of these metals were established. 2-Hydroxy-4-methylaniline-N-2-hydroxy-4-methyl-benzylidene is a good reagent because of the reproducibility and sensitivity of the fluorescence. The optimal ranges for determination are 0.005–3 mg Al/25 ml, 0.1–7 μg Ga/25 ml and 0.02–7 μg Be/25 ml. In all cases, 1:1 metal—ligand complexes are formed. Optimal reaction conditions and interference studies are reported.