Ruthenium(II) complexes containing bidentate Schiff bases and their antifungal activity

The reactions of ruthenium(II) complexes, [RuHCl(CO)(PPh₃)₂(B)] [B = PPh₃, pyridine (py) or piperidine (pip)], with bidentate Schiff base ligands derived by condensing salicylaldehyde with aniline, o-, m- or p-toluidine have been carried out. The products were characterised by analytical, i.r., electronic, ¹H-n.m.r. and ³¹P-n.m.r. spectral studies and are formulated as [RuCl(CO)(L)(PPh₃)(B)] (L = Schiff base anion; B = PPh₃, py or pip). An octahedral structure has been tentatively proposed for the new complexes. The Schiff bases and the new complexes were tested in vitro to evaluate their activity against the fungus Aspergillus flavus.