Syntheses, characterization and crystal structures of Schiff base zinc(II) complexes with antibacterial activity

Abstract

Two polynuclear zinc(II) complexes, [Zn 2 (L 1 ) 2 (OH 2 ) 2 ] (1) and [ZnL 2 (μ 1,1 -N 3 )] n (2), where L 1 is the dianionic form of N,N’-bis(3,5-difluoro-2-hydroxybenzylidene)-1,3-diaminopropane, and L 2 is the monoanionic form of 2-[(2-dimethyl-aminoethylimino)methyl]-4,6-difluorophenol, have been prepared and structurally characterized by elemental analyses, IR and UV-Vis spectroscopy, as well as single-crystal X-ray diffraction. In complex 1, the Zn atom is in octahedral coordination, with the donor atoms of the Schiff base ligands L 1 and one water O atom. In complex 2, the Zn atom is in trigonal-bipyramidal coordination, with the three donor atoms of the Schiff base ligand L 2 and two azido N atoms. The complexes have strong antibacterial activity against B. subtilis and S. aureus.