Synthesis, Characterization and Photocatalytic Application of a Novel Manganese (III) Schiff Base Complex for Organic Dye Degradation

Salicylaldehyde and ethylenediamine were used to create and describe a new manganese (III) complex, [Mn(L)(OAc)], in which H₂L is the tetradentate N₂O₂ Schiff base ligand. FTIR, UV-Vis spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and elemental analysis were used to study the complex. It was examined for its potential as a photosensitizer in the photocatalytic breakdown of methylene blue (MB) dye when exposed to visible light. In under 120 minutes, the [Mn(L)(OAc)] complex degraded more than 95% of MB, demonstrating its great efficiency. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) may be involved in the degrading pathway, as evidenced by control tests that validated the crucial roles of both the complex and light. The potential of earth-abundant manganese complexes as substitutes for rare-metal photocatalysts is demonstrated by this work.