Salpn ligand
Preparation
The synthesis of salpn is achieved by a condensation reaction of 1,2-diaminopropane with salicylaldehyde:Uses
Salpn is used as a fuel additive as a metal deactivator in motor oils. Trace metals degrade the fuels by catalyzing oxidation processes that lead to gums and solids. Metal deactivators like salpn form stable coordination compounds with the metals, suppressing their catalytic activity. While salpn forms stable chelate complexes with many metals including copper, iron, chromium, and nickel, it is the coordination with copper that makes it a popular choice as a fuel additive. Copper has the highest catalytic activity in fuel, and salpn forms a highly stable square planar complex with the metal.Salpn is preferred over salen, possibly because it has higher solubility in non-polar liquids.