Schiff Bases: Contemporary Synthesis, Properties, and Applications

Abstract

Schiff bases, originally introduced by German chemist Hugo Schiff in 1864, are well-known imine or azomethine (RR’C=NR”) moieties prepared from aldehydes and primary amines through condensation. Since then, Schiff bases have been recognized not only as compounds but also as useful ligands for metal complexes in inorganic coordination chemistry. This is because Schiff bases are essentially Lewis bases having lone pairs on the nitrogen (N) atom (M:N=CHR). In both organic and coordination chemistry, as well as related fields of science, the functions of Schiff base complexes and materials are of great interest. This book introduces and discusses novel aspects of Schiff base compounds.