Selected triazole derivatives have been synthesised and evaluated as corrosion inhibitors for mild steel in natural aqueous environment by weight loss, potentiodynamic polarisation and ac impedance methods. All the condensed products showed good inhibition efficiency (IE). The effect of changing functional groups of some triazole derivatives on their inhibition efficiency was also reported using weight loss and potentiodynamic technique. 3-Salicylalidene amino-1,2,4-triazole phosphonate (SATP) was found to be the best corrosion inhibitor compare to the other compounds. Surface analysis was carried out to establish the mechanism of corrosion inhibition of mild steel in neutral aqueous media. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All fights reserved.