Synthesis,characterization, and biological activity of metal complexes of azohydrazone ligand

A new azohydrazone, 2-hydroxy-N′-2-hydroxy-5-(phenyldiazenyl)benzohydrazide (H₃L) and its copper(II), nickel(II), cobalt(II), manganese(II), zinc(II), cadmium(II), mercury(II), vanadyl(II), uranyl(II), iron(III), and ruthenium(III) complexes have been prepared and characterized by elemental and thermal analyses as well as spectroscopic techniques (¹H-NMR, IR, UV-Vis, ESR), magnetic, and conductivity measurements. Spectral data showed a neutral bidentate, monobasic bidentate, monobasic tridentate, and dibasic tridentate bonding to metal ions via the carbonyl oxygen in ketonic or enolic form, azomethine nitrogen, and/or deprotonated phenolic hydroxyl oxygen. ESR spectra of solid vanadyl(II) complex (2), copper(II) complexes (3–5), and (7) and manganese(II) complex (10) at room temperature show isotropic spectra, while copper(II) complex (6) shows axial symmetry with covalent character. Biological results show that the ligand is biologically inactive but the complexes exhibit mild effect on Gram positive bacteria (Bacillus subtilis), some octahedral complexes exhibit moderate effect on Gram negative bacteria (Escherichia coli), and VO(II), Cd(II), UO(II), and Hg(II) complexes show higher effect on Fungus (Aspergillus niger). When compared to previous results, metal complexes of this hydrazone have a mild effect on microorganisms due to the presence of the azo group.