Synthesis of antibacterial and antifungal cobalt(II), copper(II), nickel(II) and zinc(II) complexes with bis‐(1,1′‐disubstituted ferrocenyl)thiocarbohydrazone and bis‐(1,1′‐disubstituted ferrocenyl)carbohydrazone

The condensation reaction of 1,1′‐diacetylferrocene with thiocarbohydrazide and carbohydrazide to form bis‐(1,1′‐disubstituted ferrocenyl)thiocarbohydrazone and bis‐(1,1′‐disubstituted ferrocenyl)carbohydrazone has been studied. The compounds obtained have been further used as ligands for their ligand and antimicrobial properties with cobalt(II), copper(II), nickel(II) and zinc(II) metal ions. The compounds synthesized have been characterized by physical, spectral and analytical methods and have been screened for antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtillis, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Salmonella typhi, and for antifungal activity against Trichophyton longifusus, Candida albicans, Aspergillus flavus, Microsporum canis, Fusarium solani and Candida glaberata using the agar well‐diffusion method. All the compounds synthesized have shown good affinity as antibacterial and antifungal agents, which increased in most of the cases on complexation with the metal ions. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.