Synthesis, spectroscopic characterization and thermal studies of some rare earth metal complexes of unsymmetrical tetradentate Schiff base ligand

The solid complexes of La(III), Ce(III), Pr(III), Nd(III), Sm(III) and Gd(III) with 4-hydroxy-3-(1-{2-(2-hydroxy-benzylidene)-aminophenylimino}-thyl)-6-methy-pyran-2-one (H2L) derived from o-phenylenediamine, 3-acetyl-6-methyl-(2H)pyran,2,4(3H)-dione (dehydroacetic acid or DHA) and salicylic aldehyde have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, conductometry, magnetic susceptibility, UV–visible, FTIR, 1H NMR spectra, X-ray diffraction, and thermal analysis and screened for antimicrobial activity. The FTIR spectral data suggest that the ligand behaves as a dibasic tetradentate ligand with ONNO donar atoms sequence towards central metal ion. From the microanalytical data, the stoichiometry of the complexes has been found to be 1:1 (metal:ligand). The physico-chemical data suggest distorted octahedral geometry for La(III), Ce(III), Pr(III), Nd(III), Sm(III) and Gd(III) complexes. The X-ray diffraction data suggest monoclinic crystal system for La(III) and Ce(III) and orthorhombic crystal system for Pr(III) and Nd(III) complexes. Thermal behaviour (TGA/DTA) of the complexes was studied and kinetic parameters were determined by Horowitz–Metzger and Coats–Redfern methods. The ligand and their metal complexes were screened for antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Bacillus sp. Fungicidal activity against Aspergillus niger, Trichoderma and Fusarium oxysporum.