In vitro antibacterial and antifungal activities of binuclear transition metal complexes of ONNO Schiff base and 5-methyl-2,6-pyrimidine-dione and their spectroscopic validation

Novel binuclear metal complexes of general formula [M2(PymL)X3] (where: M = Cu(II), Ni(II), Co(II) or Zn(II); X = Cl− or CH3CO2− and PymL = C13H17N4O6) were synthesized by template condensation of Schiff base (L) derived from glycine using 2,3-butanedione, 5-methyl-2,6-pyrimidine-dione and metal chloride/acetate salt in 1:1:2 stoichiometric ratio. Synthesized compounds were characterized by elemental analysis, conductance measurement, magnetic measurement, IR, UV–visible, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, EPR and ESI-MS spectral studies. IR spectral data suggest that Schiff base (L) behaves as tetradentate ligand with two nitrogen and two oxygen donor sites of the azomethine group and carboxylic group, respectively and 5-methyl-2,6-pyrimidine-dione behaves as tridentate ligand with two oxygen atoms of the carbonyl group and one nitrogen atom of pyrimidine ring as binding sites. Physico-chemical data suggest octahedral geometry and non-electrolytic nature of metal complexes. The compounds were evaluated for their antimicrobial property by in vitro antimicrobial screening against bacteria Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhi and fungi Candida albicans and Candida parapsilosis. The results indicate that metal complexes exhibit more activity than free Schiff base (L) against studied bacteria and fungi.