N,N-Dimethylaniline and Zno nanoparticles mediated photochemical transformation of metronidazole

The present study evaluates the photochemical behavior of a nitroimidazole derivative drug metronidazole in presence of N,N dimethylaniline and ZnO nanoparticles. The photochemical behavior was examined in a photochemical reactor by irradiating with a light of 254 and 310 nm. After completion of reaction one photoproduct was obtained. The photoproduct was isolated by using column chromatography and the structure of the isolated photoproduct was established by different spectroscopic techniques. This study provides the probable mechanism of the photochemical transformation of metronidazole in presence of an electron donor and in presence of ZnO NPs. During the photochemical transformation the nitro group of metronidazole was reduced in the amine group by a series of electron transfer processes. The ZnO nanoparticles are very efficient catalysts, and they degrade almost 90% metronidazole in the 60 min of UV irradiation. The photocatalytic mechanism of the ZnO nanoparticles is also discussed.