Synthesis, Characterization, and Biological Activity of Some Transition Metal Complexes Derived from Novel Hydrazone Azo Schiff Base Ligand

A series of metal(II) complexes ML where M = VO(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), and Zn(II) have been synthesized from azo Schiff base ligand (N′E)-N′-(5-((4-chlorophenyl)diazenyl)-2-hydroxybenzylidene)-2-hydroxybenzohydrazide and characterized on the basis of elemental analyses, electronic, IR, and 1H NMR spectra, magnetic susceptibility and also by aid of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray powder diffraction, fluorescence spectral studies, and molar conductivity measurements. Conductivity measurements reveal that the complexes are nonelectrolytes. Spectroscopy and other analytical studies reveal distorted square planar geometry for copper, square-pyramidal geometry for oxovanadium, and tetrahedral geometry for other complexes. Redox behavior of the copper(II) complex has been studied with cyclic voltammetry, and the biological activities of the ligand and metal complexes have been studied against several microorganisms by the well diffusion method. All synthesized compounds can serve as potential photoactive materials as indicated from their characteristic fluorescence properties. The second harmonic generation (SHG) efficiency of the ligand was measured and found to be higher than that of urea and KDP. The SEM image of the copper(II) complex implies that the size of the particles is 50 nm.