Synthesis, spectral characterization, molecular modeling and antimicrobial activity of new potentially N2O2 Schiff base complexes

•A novel tetradentate N2O2 Schiff base ligand was prepared.•The Schiff base ligand was allowed to react with a variety of metal ions.•Complexes have been characterized by the analytical and spectral methods.•Molecular orbital calculations were performed.•Some complexes showed variable antimicrobial activities.

Metal complexes of a new potentially tetradentate symmetrical Schiff base ligand (H2L) with Cu(II), Ni(II), Co(II), VO(IV), Zn(II), Cd(II), Ce(III), Fe(III) and UO2(VI) metal ions have been synthesized and characterized based on their elemental analyses, spectral (IR, UV–Vis, 1H NMR and mass spectra), magnetic and molar conductance studies as well as thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). The synthesized complexes have the general formula [MHxL(H2O)yXn]: x = 0–1, y = 0–4 and n = 0–1; where: L = dianion of 6-hydroxy-5-[N-(2-{[(1E)-1-(6-hydroxy-2,4-dioxo-3,4-dihydro-2H-1,3-thiazin-5-yl)ethylidene]amino}ethyl) ethanimidoyl]-2H-1,3-thiazine-2,4(3H)-dione and X = nitrate or sulphate anion. The ligand behaves as diabasic tetradentate N2O2 sites, except in cases of Co(II), VO(IV) and UO2(VI) metal ions, it behaves as monobasic tetradentate Schiff base ligand. The metal complexes exhibited square planar, square-pyramidal and octahedral geometrical arrangements except for Ce(III) and UO2(VI) complexes, they are octa-coordinated. The Coats-Redfern equation was used to calculate the kinetic and thermodynamic parameters for the different thermal decomposition stages of some complexes. Structural parameters of the ligand and its metal complexes have been theoretically computed on the basis of semiemperical PM3 level, and the results were correlated with their experimental data. The antimicrobial activities of the ligand and its metal complexes were tested against some Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria; and fungus strain and the results were discussed.

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