Preparation, characterization and biological evaluation of copper(II) and zinc(II) complexes with Schiff bases derived from amoxicillin and cephalexin

Abstract

Copper(II) and zinc(II) complexes of Schiff bases obtained by condensation of amoxicillin and cephalexin with salicylaldehyde/pyridoxal were prepared and characterized by microanalytical, thermogravimetric, magnetic and spectroscopic data. All the complexes were found to be six-coordinate and containing two water molecules. The electron paramagnetic resonance spectral lines exhibited rhombic distortion from axial symmetry, with g|| > g⟂ > ge, in the copper(II) complexes. The geometry of the zinc(II) complexes appears to be octahedral. All the compounds under investigation showed antibacterial activity. The antibacterial activity showed the following trend: copper(II) complexes > zinc(II) complexes > Schiff base ligands > parent drugs. The copper(II) complexes with the Schiff bases derived from cephalexin showed substantially enhanced activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa compared with the parent drug. All the copper complexes were also found to be active against kaolin paw oedema, whereas the parent drugs were inactive. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.