Thermal decomposition and antimicrobial activity of zinc(II) 2-bromobenzoates with organic ligands

New zinc(II) 2-bromobenzoate complex compounds with general formula Zn(2-BrC 6 H 4 COO) 2 · n L· x H 2 O (where L = urea, nicotinamide, N -methylnicotinamide, N,N -diethylnicotinamide, isonicotinamide, phenazone n = 0–2, x = 0–2) were prepared and characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy and thermal analysis. The thermal decomposition of hydrated compounds started with dehydration process. During the thermal decomposition organic ligand, carbon dioxide and bis(2-bromophenyl)ketone were evolved. The solid intermediates and volatile products of thermal decomposition were proved by IR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. The final solid product of the thermal decomposition heated up to 1073 K was zinc oxide. Antimicrobial activity of the prepared compounds was tested against various strains of bacteria, yeasts and filamentous fungi ( E. coli, S. aureus, C. albicans, R. oryzae, A. alternate and M. gypseum ). It was found that the selected bacteria were more sensitive to the studied zinc(II) complex compounds than the yeast and the filamentous fungi.