Synthesis, characterization, antimicrobial screening and computational studies of 4-[3-(4-methoxy-phenyl)-allylideneamino]-1,5-dimethyl-2-phenyl-1,2-dihydro-pyrazol-3-one

Abstract The Schiff base, 4-[3-(4-methoxy-phenyl)-allylideneamino]-1,5-dimethyl-2-phenyl-1,2-dihydro-pyrazol-3-one (TPMC/AAP) was synthesized by the condensation of 4-aminoantipyrine (4-amino-1,5-dimethyl-2-phenylpyrazole-3-one) and trans-para-methoxycinnamaldehyde (trans-3,4-methoxyphenyl-2-propenal) in dry methanol at 75 °C. The compound was characterized using elemental microanalysis, IR, NMR, UV spectroscopies and single-crystal X-ray crystallography. The X-ray structure determination shows that the Schiff base, (TPMC/AAP) is orthorhombic with the Pbca space group. The anti-microbial screening of the compound was carried out with Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtillis, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudemonas aeruginosa, Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger using agar well diffusion method. The Schiff base possesses significant antimicrobial activity. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the compound was also determined and the activity was compared with that of conventional drugs ciprofloxacin and ketoconazole. The compound (TPMC/AAP) showed varying activity against the cultured bacteria and fungi used. To complement the experimental data, density functional theory (DFT) was used to have deeper understanding into the molecular parameters and infrared spectra of the compound.