Objective: To prepare Zn(II), Cd(II) and Hg(II) complexes containing Phenylacetyl urea (PAU), and butanoate (but) ligands and to characterize physic-chemical, spectral and biological properties.
Methods: All the three metal complexes were prepared by the addition of required mole ratios of phenylacetylurea in methanol and sodium butanoate in ethanol to the methanolic metal nitrate solutions followed by microwave irradiation for ~10 seconds after each addition of ligands. The precipitated complexes were filtered, washed with ethanol and dried. The molecular formulae and probable geometry of the complexes were arrived at from the estimation of metals, electrical conductivities and electronic spectral data. The antimicrobial and anti fungal screening of the complexes against the bacteria, viz., Staphylococcus sp, Escherichia coli, Shigella flexneri, Raoultella planticola, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and fungi, viz., Candida albicans, Aspergillus oryzae, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus sojae were carried out by well diffusion method. Antioxidantal activities were carried out by diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging method.
Results: The molecular formulae of the three complexes were arrived as [Zn(PAU)(but)2], [Cd(PAU)(but)2] and [Hg(PAU)(but)2]. The antibacterial and anti fungal activities (diameter inhibition) of the complexes were in the range of 25-36 mm at 100 µg/ml concentration and 11-30 mm at 400 µg/ml concentration respectively. The percentage inhibition of DPPH free radical scavenging of Zn(II), Cd(II) and Hg(II) complexes were 44.13, 36.25 and 24.68 respectively.
Conclusion: The results indicate that all the three complexes are biologically active and the biological activities are higher than pure PAU and but ligands
