The Department of Chemistry at the College of Education for Pure Sciences held a Ph.D. dissertation defence for researcher Safa Al-Din Ali Hussein Kaitan, entitled: ( Synthesis and Characterisation of Metal Complexes Derived from 4-Aminoacetophenone for Schiff Bases and Azo Dyes and Investigation of Their Biological Activity ) supervised by Prof. Dr. Inaam Ismail Yousif and was conducted within the field of Pure Sciences – Chemistry.
The dissertation focused on the synthesis and characterisation of several organic ligands and their metal complexes derived from 4-aminoacetophenone, with the aim of developing new coordination compounds, investigating their structural and physicochemical properties, and evaluating their biological activity against selected bacterial and fungal species.
The experimental work involved the preparation of three ligands, including two azo-dye ligands, HL1 and HL2, and a third Schiff-base ligand, HL3.
Ligand HL1 was synthesised through the reaction of 4-aminoacetophenone with 4-hydroxyacetanilide using sodium nitrite, with ethanol and hydrochloric acid as the reaction medium, at a 1:1 molar ratio.
Ligand HL2 was prepared through a similar reaction between 4-aminoacetophenone and 2,3-dichlorophenol. The third ligand, HL3, was synthesised as a Schiff base through the reaction of ligand HL1 with thiosemicarbazide at a 1:1 molar ratio.
The prepared ligands were subsequently employed in the synthesis of a series of metal complexes involving transition-metal ions, including iron, cobalt, nickel, copper, and chromium, in order to investigate the coordination behaviour of the ligands and the physicochemical characteristics of the resulting complexes.
The synthesised ligands and metal complexes were characterised using a comprehensive range of analytical and spectroscopic techniques. These included elemental analysis, metal and chloride content determination, thermal analysis of selected complexes, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, magnetic susceptibility measurements, molar conductivity, and melting-point determination.
Based on the analytical and spectroscopic data, different coordination geometries were proposed for the synthesised complexes. Distorted octahedral geometries were proposed for several complexes of HL1 and HL2 with the investigated metal ions, whereas tetrahedral geometry was proposed for the corresponding copper(II) complexes. The complexes derived from HL3 were also proposed to adopt distorted octahedral geometries with the investigated metal ions.
The biological activity of the synthesised ligands and their metal complexes was also investigated against selected bacterial and fungal species.
The tested Gram-positive bacteria included:
- Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus faecalis,
- while the tested Gram-negative bacteria included:
- Acinetobacter baumannii and Escherichia coli.
- The antifungal activity was evaluated against:
- Candida albicans and Candida tropicalis.
The study also employed the antimicrobial agents specified in the research as reference standards for comparative evaluation of the biological responses of the synthesised compounds.
The significance of the research lies in its integration of coordination chemistry, organic chemistry, and biological chemistry, while exploring the potential biological applications of metal complexes, azo dyes, and Schiff-base compounds.
The study contributes to scientific research in the field of organic ligand synthesis, coordination chemistry, metal-complex characterisation, and biological activity assessment. It also supports the exploration of novel chemical compounds with potential applications in biomedical and biological fields.
The research is primarily aligned with:
SDG 3 – Good Health and Well-Being, through the investigation of the biological and antimicrobial activity of the synthesised compounds against selected bacterial and fungal species.
It also contributes to:
SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, through the development of novel chemical compounds and the application of advanced analytical and spectroscopic techniques in chemical research and innovation.
Furthermore, the research may indirectly support:
SDG 6 – Clean Water and Sanitation, particularly through the potential future application of biologically active compounds in controlling microorganisms and addressing microbiological contamination.
The dissertation defence committee consisted of:
- Prof. Dr. Amer Jabbar Harad – Chair.
- Asst. Prof. Dr. Jasim Mohammed Saleh – Member.
- Asst. Prof. Dr. Rehab Kadhim Rahim – Member.
- Asst. Prof. Dr. Salah Mohammed Faza – Member.
- Asst. Prof. Dr. Baidaa Kareem Salman – Member.
- Prof. Dr. Inaam Ismail Yousif – Supervisor and Member.
This dissertation represents an important contribution to research in coordination chemistry and bioactive metal complexes, providing a basis for further investigations into the synthesis, structural characterisation, and biological applications of novel metal-containing compounds.
