A COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW ON SYNTHESIS AND BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY OF SCHIFF BASES

Abstract

The chemistry of Schiff base containing compounds has been an interesting field of study from ancient years. Subsequently, Schiff base constitutes a significant class of compounds for new drug development. Schiff bases are the most widely used organic compounds. They are broadly utilized for industrial purposes and also exhibit a broad range of biological activities. The basic mechanism involved is a two step addition elimination mechanism. In the first step, the nitrogen base adds to the carbonyl compound to give a carbinolamine intermediate, followed by elimination of water to form the carbon-nitrogen double bond. Schiff bases are synthetically accessible and structurally diverse compounds, typically obtained by facile condensation between an aldehyde or a ketone with primary amines. These compounds along with their metal complexes are considered to be an important as catalysts in various biological processes. The search for Schiff base containing compounds with more selective activity and lower side effects continues to be an active area of argument examination in medicinal chemistry. This review summarizes the synthesis and biological activities of Schiff bases and their complexes.