INFRARED STUDY OF TAUTOMERISM IN SOME SCHIFF-BASES

Infra-Red spectra of a series of substituted salicylaldehyde and 2-hyd roxynaphthaldehyde Schiff bases were used to investigate enol-keto tau tomeric equilibrium. Two model compounds, namely, salicylidinaniline a nd naphthylidinequinolineamine Schiff bases were used to represent the enol and keto forms, respectively. From the IR spectra of the model c ompounds it was possible to assign the IR absorption for the C=O and t he 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 ail the studied co mpounds.