Synthesis, characterization, luminescence, antibacterial, and catalytic activities of a palladium(II) complex involving a Schiff base

A new Pd(II) complex of fluorine-containing Schiff base ligand, [Pd-2(L)(2)Cl-2] (1) [L=N-(4-fluorobenzylidene)-2,6-diethylbenzenamine], has been synthesized using solvothermal method and characterized by elemental analysis, IR-spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, powder X-ray diffraction, UVvis absorption spectra, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Complex 1 is a -chloro-bridged dinuclear cyclometallated Pd(II) complex. Thermal analysis indicates that 1 is quite stable to heat. 1 exhibits quadruple emissions in the solid state ((max)=766nm) and possesses fluorescence lifetimes ((1)=87.20ns, (2)=190.45ns, and (3)=1805.10ns at 616nm); broad structureless bands at 690800nm are tentatively assigned to an excimeric (IL)-I-3 transition. The Schiff base (L) and its palladium(II) compound (1) have been screened for their antibacterial activity against several bacteria, and the results are compared with the activity of penicillin. Moreover, 1 has been shown to be highly effective in the Heck reaction of 4-bromotoluene with acrylic acid.