4-Substituted anilinomethylpropionate: New and efficient corrosion inhibitors for mild steel in hydrochloric acid solution

4-substituted anilinomethylpropionate namely 3-anilinomethylpropionate (Inh-1), 3-(4-methylanilino)methylpropionate (Inh-2) and 3-(4-chloroanilino) methylpropionate (Inh-3) were synthesized and investigated as corrosion inhibitors of mild steel in 1 N HCl solution using weight loss, polarization resistance, Tafel polarization and electrochemical Impedance spectroscopy techniques. The inhibition efficiency of the synthesized inhibitors followed the order Inh3 > Inh2 > Inh1. The inhibiting action of the all inhibitors was found to depend on electronic nature of functional groups present in inhibitors. Potentiodynamic polarizations suggest that all inhibitors are mixed type in nature. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy was also used to investigate the mechanism of corrosion inhibition.