SCHIFF BASE DERIVED FROM m-PHENYLENEDIAMINE AND o-VANILLIN AND ITS
DIMERIC DINUCLEAR AND TETRANUCLEAR Co(II) AND Zn(II) COMPLEXES:
PHYSICOCHEMICAL AND ANTIMICROBIAL STUDIES
Hadariah Bahron, Siti Najihah Abu Bakar, Karimah Kassim and Mastura Mohtar
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Universiti Teknologi MARA, 40450 Shah Alam, Selangor,
Malaysia
Abstract:
A symmetrical Schiff base ligand mpd(ovan)2 (L1)was synthesized from a condensation reaction of m-phenylenediamine
and o-vanillin in 1:2 ratio. Dimeric tetranuclear Co(II) and Zn(II) complexes with ligand:metal ratio of 2:4 were
successfully isolated. The four metal ions act as bridges joining two Schiff base moieties together making L1 a
hexadentate ligand with two methoxy and hydroxy oxygen atoms and two azomethine nitrogen atoms serving as
coordination sites for the metal ions. The structures of LI and its complexes were elucidated through various
physicochemical and spectral techniques, including an x-ray single crystal investigation of Zn2(L1)2. An antimicrobial
investigation revealed that the activity of the complexes was more pronounced than their parent ligand when tested
against Staphylococcusaureus. The MIC results revealed that the dinuclear Co(II) and Zn(II) complexes were better
bactericides than the tetranuclear counterparts. They showed promising antibacterial properties with the lowest MIC
value of 560 µg/ml.