Description

Schiff's bases are the compounds, which contain C=N- group. These compounds were named after the German chemist Hugo Schiff and are produced by reacting the aldehyde or ketone with primary amines (1), Structurally, a Schiff base (also known as imine or azomethine or anils is a nitrogen analogue of an aldehyde or ketone in which the carbonyl group (C O) has been replaced by an imine or azomethine group. Schiff bases are some of the most widely used organic compounds. They are used as pigments and dyes, catalysts, intermediates in organic synthesis, and as polymer stabilisers. Schiff bases are reported to show a wide range of pharmacological activities and are used as antimicrobial agents with the activities including antibacterial, anti-fungal, anti-malarial and anti-viral agents as well as the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and anti-cancerous agents. Imine or azomethine groups are present in various natural, natural-derived, and non-natural compounds. Pharmacological activities attributed by Schiff bases are mainly due to characteristic C=N functionality