Schiff Bases and their Pharmaceutical Applications: A review

Schiff bases are formed when any primary amine reacts with an aldehyde or a ketone under specific conditions. The first imines were prepared in the nineteenth century by a classical method that involves the condensation of a carbonyl compound with an amine under zeotropic distillation. Molecular sieves are used to remove water formed in the system. Later, many ways of synthesising Schiff bases were invented. Schiff bases exhibit various biological activities and are commonly used for industrial purposes. They are the most widely used intermediates in organic synthesis as: catalysts, pigments and dyes, polymer stabilisers, and other essential uses. Due to its broad importance, many different preparation methods for this moiety have been presented in this article.