Schiff bases are well-known compounds with versatile applications in analytical chemistry, catalysis, food and dye industry. They also possess many biological activities such as antibacterial, antifungal, antitumor etc. From a chemical perspective the synthesis of imine derivatives is one of the easiest in the whole synthesis repertoire. Very important feature of these compounds is also their ability to form complexes with metal ions. The self-templating process is frequently observed when obtaining new coordination compounds, which accelerates the reaction time and lowers the production costs. This fits in the trend of sustainable chemistry.
The aim of this talk is to present the synthesis and physicochemical properties of selected d- and f-electron complexes with Schiff base derivatives having 5-bromo-3-methoxysalicylidene moiety and a stiff or a flexible amine part. I will also try to show a possible application of these compounds for detection of metal ions.