A very fast photodegradation of dyes in the presence of new Schiff’s base N4-macrocyclic Ag-doped Pd(II) complexes under visible-light irradiation

Abstract The macrocyclic Schiff’s base metal complexes are very significant due to their out-of-box applications in the photocatalytic mineralization of the organic pollutants to fewer harmful byproducts and oxygen generation such as photosynthesis process. The Pd 2+ complexes obtained from Schiff base ligands reacted with donor atoms such as nitrogen under solvothermal conditions. These complexes were thoroughly characterized using the microanalysis, molar conductance studies and various spectral analyses. From these data, it is explained that the compound displays square planar geometry with ligands coordination via azomethine and tertiary nitrogen atoms. The new sequence of Pd(II) complexes was used for the degradation of methyl orange, congo red and Alizarin Red S, as standard pollutants, as model pollutants discharged from textile industries. [Ag/Pd(TPTTP)](OAc) 3 complex shows higher activity than [Pd(TPTTP)](OAc) 2 due to the low bandgap energy, high surface area and more light induced nature for the generation of OH radicals throughout the catalytic photodegradation. Mechanistic studies for the fast degradation of dyes were supported in the presence of several scavengers and to the suitable of the bandgap energy for the generation of OH radicals through the photocatalytic process. For this reason, fast photodegradation rate of [Ag/Pd(TPTTP)](OAc) 3 as a very efficient photocatalyst for degradation of azo dyes have been suggested.