Syntheses, characterization, and microbial activity of some transition metal complexes involving potentially active O and N donor heterocyclic ligands.

The formation of binary as well as ternary metal complexes of type MLL' (where M(II) = Cu(II), Ni(II), Co(II), and Zn(II); L = 8-hydroxyquinoline, and L' = 2-furoic acid) has been studied. The complexes were synthesized and characterized by elemental analyses, molecular weight determination, the IR and electronic spectra, conductivity, and magnetic measurements. The presence of coordinated water molecules was demonstrated by thermogravimetric analysis. The microbial activity of these ligands and their metal complexes was determined on gram positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and gram negative (Escherichia coli) bacteria, the antifungal activity on some common fungi, viz. Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus nidulense, and Penicillium citrinum.