Synthesis, characterization and thermal behavior of antibacterial and antifungal active zinc complexes of bis (3(4-dimethylaminophenyl)-allylidene-1,2-diaminoethane

In this work, synthesis of a new series of zinc halide/pseudohalide complexes of a bidentate Schiff base ligand entitled as bis (3-(4-dimethylaminophenyl)-allylidene)-1,2-diaminoethane(L) is described. The ligand and its zinc complexes were characterized by various techniques such as elemental analysis, FT-IR, UV–visible, 1H and 13C NMR spectra, cyclic voltammetry, and conductometry. Accordingly ZnLX2 (X=Cl−, Br−, I−, SCN− and N3−) was suggested as molecular formula of the complexes. Redox behaviors of ligand and its zinc complexes were investigated by cyclic voltammetry method. Furthermore, the ligand and its zinc halide/pseudohalide complexes were tested for their in vitro antibacterial activities against two gram positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis) and two gram negative bacteria (Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa). Also in vitro antifungal activities of them against Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger were investigated. The results indicated that all compounds are antibacterial and antifungal active. Thermal behaviors of ligand and its zinc complexes were studied from room temperature to 1100°C under argon atmosphere. It was found that the ligand and zinc iodide are decomposed completely via three and four steps respectively while other zinc complexes leave out the metal or organometallic compounds as final residuals after 3–4 decomposition steps at above temperature range. Moreover evaluation of some thermo-kinetic parameters such as activation energy (∆E⁎), enthalpy (∆H⁎), entropy (∆S⁎) and Gibbs free energy change (∆G⁎) of the thermal decomposition steps were performed based on the Coats–Redfern relation. [Display omitted] •Some novel complexes of Zn(II) with a bidentate Schiff base ligand have been synthesized.•Redox behavior of ligand and zinc complexes was investigated by cyclic voltammetry.•The ligand and its zinc complexes are antibacterial and antifungal active.•Thermal behavior of ligand and its complexes was studied by TG/DTG diagrams.•The ligand and its zinc complexes were decomposed via three to four steps.