Research Article
Design, Synthesis, and Antimicrobial Profiling of Novel Schiff Base Metal (II) Complexes: Structural Characterization and Structure
Issue:
Volume 13, Issue 6, December 2025
Pages:
152-163
Received:
4 November 2025
Accepted:
14 November 2025
Published:
17 December 2025
DOI:
10.11648/j.ajac.20251306.11
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Abstract: This study aimed to design, synthesize, and characterize novel ruthenium (II) Schiff base complexes as potential antimicrobial agents to address the growing crisis of multidrug-resistant bacterial infections. Despite advances in antibiotic development, resistance to existing drugs, particularly in Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli-demands new compounds with alternative mechanisms of action. A key research gap lies in the limited exploration of pyridine-imine Schiff base ruthenium complexes with systematic substitution (-Br, -OH) and a comparison between simple Ru (II) and Ru(II)-p-cymene architectures. Ligands and their Ru (II) complexes were synthesized and characterized by FT-IR, UV-Vis, 1H NMR, and melting point. Antimicrobial activity was evaluated using agar disc diffusion against both bacterial strains at concentrations ranging from 125 to 1000 µg/mL, with data analyzed using two-way ANOVA and Fisher’s LSD test (α = 0.05). Results showed Ru (II) complexes exhibited significantly higher inhibition than free ligands (p ≤ 0.05), with bromo- and hydroxy-substituted cymene complexes (e.g., L-C2, L1-C2) displaying the strongest activity (up to 14 -15 mm zones). Although all compounds were less potent than gentamycin, the enhanced bioactivity upon metal coordination supports Tweedy’s chelation theory. These findings validate Ru (II)-Schiff base complexes as promising scaffolds for future antimicrobial development, warranting further studies on MIC, toxicity, and antifungal activity.
Abstract: This study aimed to design, synthesize, and characterize novel ruthenium (II) Schiff base complexes as potential antimicrobial agents to address the growing crisis of multidrug-resistant bacterial infections. Despite advances in antibiotic development, resistance to existing drugs, particularly in Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli-demands ...
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,
Joel Mwangi Gichumbi
