Infra-Red Study of Tautomerism in Some Schiff Bases

Infra-Red spectra of a series of substituted salicylaldehyde and 2-hydroxynaphthaldehyde Schiff bases were used to investigate enol-keto tautomeric equilibrium. Two model compounds, namely, salicylidinaniline and naphthylidinequinolineamine Schiff bases were used to represent the enol and keto forms, respectively. From the IR spectra of the model compounds it was possible to assign the IR absorption for the C=O and the C=N groups in both the keto and the enol form. It was also possible to assign other absorptions which were either specific to the keto or the enol forms. Specific pattern were observed for all the studied compounds.