No abstract

Cis-trans stereochemistry of 2-(2-chlorobenzylideneamino)phenol (1) and 2-(2-chlorophenyl imino)methyl)phenol (2) (Schiff bases) was studied by GC-MS spectrometry, and cis-trans conversion of the two compounds in solution was investigated by GC. Thus, 2 exists as a sole trans configuration and its conversion to cis was unsuccessful in any circumstance, while compound 1 exists as a mixture of two configurations in solution, occurrence of which were dependent on the temperature, heating time, solvent, and acid catalyst. X-ray crystallography of solid 1 presented a sole trans configuration.