Synthesis, characterization and crystal structure of a new fluorescent probe based on Schiff Base for the detection of Zinc (II)

A Schiff base compound (L) was synthesized using o-vanillin and 4, 4′-diaminodiphenylmethane and characterized by elemental analysis, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, IR, electronic absorption spectra and X-ray diffraction single crystal analysis. The title compound(L) has no fluorescence intensity in a range of 450–650 nm, but its fluorescence spectrum shows enhancement in the intensity of the signal at 372 nm on binding with the Zn(II) cation from pH = 6 to 14. No such significant change was observed for other metal ions. Fluorescence intensity was linear with concentration of Zn (II) cation in a range from 1 × 10− 7 mol·L− 1 to 1.2 × 10− 5 mol·L− 1. This Schiff base compound is a promising system for the development of new fluorescent probes for the detection of Zn (II) cation.