Complexes of 1-isonicotinoyl-4-benzoyl-3-thiosemicarbazide with manganese(II), iron(III), chromium(III), cobalt(II), nickel(II), copper(II) and zinc(II)

1-Isonicotinoyl-4-benzoyl-3-thiosemicarbazide (IBtsc) and its Cr^III, Mn^II, Fe^III, Co^II, Ni^II, Cu^II and Zn^II complexes have been prepared and characterized by elemental analyses, magnetic susceptibility measurements, u.v.–vis., i.r., n.m.r. and FAB mass spectral data. The room temperature e.s.r. spectra of the Cr^III, Fe^III and Cu^II complexes yield values, characteristic of octahedral, tetrahedral and square-planar complexes, respectively. The Mössbauer spectra of Fe(IBtsc-H)Cl₂] at room temperature and at 78 K suggest the presence of high-spin Fe^III. The Ni^II, Cr^III and Cu^II complexes show semiconducting behaviour in the solid state, but the Zn^II complex is an insulator at room temperature. IBtsc and its soluble complexes have been screened against several bacteria, fungi and tumour cell lines.