Synthesis, characterization and theoretical aspects of copper and zinc divalent ion complexes with azo dye derived from 4,5-diphenylimidazole

Azo dye ligand derived from 4,5-diphenyl imidazole and 4,4-diaminodiphenylmethane was synthesized by diazomium coupling reaction. In this reaction an amine (4,4-diaminodiphenylmethane was converted to the diazonium salt and coupled with 4,5-diphenyl imidazole. The bright coloured Cu(II) and Zn(II) complexes with this ligand were synthesized by refluxing the latest with both metals chloride salts. The prepared compounds were characterized by 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, FTIR, UV-Visible, molar conductivity and atomic absorption. By the infrared data, the coordination between copper and zinc ions and the azo ligand achieved through the nitrogen of the azo group and one of the nitrogen atoms in the imidazole ring. By the molar conductivity test, the non- electrolytic nature of both complexes was also confirmed. The suggested structure for these complexes is octahedral. Using density functional theory (DFT) some theoretical data was obtained for the synthesized complexes. The obtained data include the highest occupied and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals energy (HOMO and LUMO), electron density, thermodynamic functions (ΔG°, ΔS°, ΔH°, ΔE°), ionization potential (IP), electron affinity (EA), electrophilicity(ὠ),  electronegativity (En),  chemical hardness (η) and dipole moment (μ). According to these studied parameters some properties of the two complexes were explained and discussed. KEY WORDS: Cu(II) and Zn(II) complexes, Azo ligand, 4,5-Diphenylimidazole, 4,4-Diaminodiphenylmethane, Theoretical study Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2024, 38(2), 313-323.                                                            DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v38i2.4