Synthesis, structure and antidiabetic activity of chromium(III) complexes of metformin Schiff-bases

•Cr(III) complexes of metformin Schiff-bases as therapeutic agents were synthesized.•Structural properties of these complexes are discussed.•Two of the complexes have a potential blood glucose lowering effect.

A series of Cr3+ complexes with Schiff-bases of metformin with each of salicylaldehyde (HL1); 2,3-dihydroxybenzaldehyde (H2L2); 2,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde (H2L3); 2,5-dihydroxybenzaldehyde (H2L4); 3,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde (H2L5) and 2-hydroxynaphthaldehyde (HL6) were synthesized by template reaction. The new compounds were characterized through elemental analysis, conductivity and magnetic moment measurements, IR, UV–Vis., NMR and mass spectroscopy. The complexes have octahedral structure with μ value of hexacoordinated chromium ion. TGA, DTG and DTA analysis confirm the proposed stereochemistry and a mechanism for thermal decomposition was proposed. Thermodynamic parameters are calculated for the second and third decomposition steps. [CrL4Cl(H2O)2].3H2O and [CrL5Cl(H2O)2].2½H2O were able to produce significant decreases in the blood glucose level.