Synthesis and Studies of Hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl picolinate catalysed by Schiff base zinc (II) complexes with aza-crown ether or morpholino-pendants

Four Schiff base zinc (II) complexes with either benzo-10-aza-crown ether pendants or morpholino-pendants have been synthesised and employed as models for hydrolase enzymes by studying the kinetics of their hydrolysis reactions with p-nitrophenyl picolinate (PNPP). A kinetic model of PNPP cleavage catalysed by these complexes is proposed. The effects of complex structures and reaction temperature on the rate of catalytic PNPP hydrolysis have been also examined. The rate increases with pH of the buffer solution; all four complexes exhibited high activity in the catalytic PNPP hydrolysis. Compared with their crown-free analogues, the crowned Schiff base complexes exhibit higher catalytic activity. The catalytic activity of a phenyl-bridged Schiff base complex is larger than that of an ethyl-bridged Schiff base complex under the same substitute groups and metal ion.