Spectral studies of complexes of nickel(II) with tetradentate schiff bases having N2O2 donor groups.

Complexes of nickel(II) of N,N'-disalicylidene-1,2-phenylenediamine (H2dsp), N,N'-disalicylidene-3,4-diaminotoluene (H2dst), 4-nitro-N,N'-disalicylidene-1,2-phenylenediamine (H2ndsp) and N,N'-disalicylidene ethylenediamine (H2salen) have been prepared and characterised by elemental analysis, electronic, IR, magnetic susceptibility measurement, 1H NMR and thermal studies. TG studies show that the Ni(dsp) and Ni(salen) complex decomposed in one step and Ni(dst) and Ni(ndsp) complex in two steps. Kinetic and thermodynamic parameters were computed from the thermal decomposition data. The activation energy of either one step decomposition or two step decomposition of complexes lies 72-95 kJ mol(-1) range.