A perfectly linear trinuclear zinc-Schiff base complex: Synthesis, luminescence property and photocatalytic activity of zinc oxide nanoparticle

A perfectly linear trinuclear zinc(II) complex [Zn3L2(mu-O2CCH3)(2)] (1) containing a (N,O)-donor Schiff base ligand, (H2L = N,N'- bis(salicyaldehydene)-1,3-diaminopropan-2-ol) has been synthesized and characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction study. The X-ray crystal structure of 1 contains three zinc(II) centers which are inter-connected through mu(2)-phenolato and mu-acetato bridges. The terminal zinc centers are in square pyramid geometry and central zinc ion is in distorted octahedral coordination geometry. Both H2L and 1 exhibit good fluorescence properties in solution. 1 has been used as a precursor to fabricate zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) by pyrolytic method. ZnONP has been characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), FT-IR spectroscopy and UV-Vis spectroscopy techniques. ZnONP has been employed as photocatalytic agent to degrade the organic dye, viz. Methylene blue under visible light and by exposing to visible light for 1 h, ZnONP degraded methylene blue dye nearly 80%. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.