Thermal behavior and antimicrobial activity of some new zinc (II), cadmium (II) and mercury (II) nitrate complexes

Metal complexes with Schiff-bases as ligands play an important part in the development of coordination chemistry. The ability of different metal ions to arrange the coordinating ligands in different orientations is the reason for the development of different assembly structures [1]. Transition metal complexes of Schiff-base ligands find applications as models for metal enzymes, catalysts and modifiers in materials chemistry [2]. Schiff-bases and their biologically-active complexes have often been used as radiopharmaceuticals for cancer targeting, agrochemicals, as model systems for biological macromolecules, as catalysts and as dioxygen carriers [3].In this research, a new N4-Schiff base ligand (L) (L = obtained by condensation reaction between 2-nitrocinammaldehyde and triethylenetetraamine) were synthesized and characterized by FT/IR, 1H and 13C NMR, UV–visible, thermal analyses, and molar conductivity measurements. Thereafter, some new Zn (II), Cd (II) and Hg(II) nitrate complexes of the ligand have been prepared both in bulk and in nanostructure sizes under ultrasonic irradiation confirmed by XRD and SEM. Antibacterial/antifungal activities of the compounds were screened by the disk diffusion method against the Gram-negative bacteria and the Gram-positive bacteria. Also, the zinc and cadmium complexes were used as a precursor for the preparation of zinc and cadmium oxide nanoparticles.