Tetrakis-benzimidazoles as Tetradentate to Octadentate Ligands: Their Properties, Applications, and Metal Complexes (A Review)

Abstract

Tetrakis-benzimidazoles are tetrapodal compounds with multidentate ligand properties, including at least tetradentate provided by the C=N nitrogen atoms in each benzimidazole unit, and they can be obtained in their many derivatives. There are also tetrakis-benzimidazole derivatives that contain atoms such as N and O in the bridge units and thus exhibit various donor properties up to octadentate. Because of these properties, they are similar to EDTA (ethylenediamminetetraacetic acid) which is a medication used in the management and treatment of heavy metal toxicity, and attract the attention of researchers. The applications of tetrakis-benzimidazole derivatives and various metal complexes in many fields such as corrosion inhibitor, catalyst, enzyme inhibitor, superoxide dismutase, catalase activity, superoxide oxidase, DNA affinity, determination of H₂O₂, were investigated. In this study, a comprehensive review was conducted on tetrakis-benzimidazoles: their synthesis routes, properties, various metal complexes, features and application areas have been reviewed and compiled in order to be useful for researchers who will work in this field.