In the condition of p-toluene sulfonic acid as a catalyst and controlled pH to approximate 9 with triethylamine, 5,7′-(iminomethyl)-bis-8-hydroxyquinoline was synthesized by reaction of 7-formyl-8-hy- droxyquinoline with 5-amino-8-hydroxyquinoline and characterized by IR, UV, ¹H NMR and MS spectra. Photoluminescence property of target product was measured comparatively. The geometry structure was optimized and vibration spectrum of such compound was predicted by the density functional theory calculations with the B3LYP functional at the level of 6-31G(d,p) basis set, which in good agreement with the observed date.

Key words: synthesis, quantum chemistry, 5,7′-(iminomethyl)-bis-8-hydroxyquinoline