Synthesis, Structural Elucidation and Photocatalytic Studies of some 4-Aminoantipyrine-based Ruthenium (III) Complexes

Photo-catalytic studies are considered as the effective process of organic pollutants degradation, which decrease the impacts on human health and the environment. The present study was conducted to evaluate the photo-catalytic activities of some 4-aminoantipyrine-based Ru (III) complexes against methylene blue dye. A series of five novel Schiff base ruthenium complexes (RuL₂Cl₂) have been synthesized by the reaction between five types of 4-aminoantipyrine derived Schiff base ligands and ruthenium trichloride by direct condensation method. The synthesized ligands and metal complexes were characterized using analytical and various spectral techniques. The rate of photo-catalytic degradation of methylene blue using the synthesized metal complexes was calculated using UV light. As the number of active sites on the catalyst's surface increased with the increasing amounts of catalyst, the degradation rate increased. Additionally, an increase may result in the accumulation of free catalyst, as well as an increase in opacity and a reduction in UV light penetration. The formation of hydroxyl radicals was the cause for successful degradation of methylene blue dye. The synthesized Ru (III) complexes have shown highest percentage of degradation on photo-catalytic activity.