Synthesis, spectroscopic characterization, DFT and antibacterial studies of newly synthesized cobalt(II, III), nickel(II) and copper(II) complexes with salicylaldehyde N(4)-antipyrinylthiosemicarbazone

Salicylaldehyde N(4)-antipyrinylthiosemicarbazone (H2L) and its complexes of Co(III, II), Ni(II) and Cu(II) have been prepared and characterized. Elemental analyses, molar conductivities, magnetic measurements, spectral (IR, UV–vis, 1H and 13C NMR and ESR) and thermogravimetric studies have been used to characterize the complexes. The infrared spectra show that the thiosemicarbazone ligand behaves as tridentate ligand (ONS), either in the thione or thiolato form. Stereochemistries are proposed for the complexes on the basis of both spectral and magnetic properties. Along with the experimental spectral data of the starting ligand, its corresponding predicted ones were obtained using the state of art density functional theory (DFT) in gas and solvent phases. The obtained results showed a relatively good correlation between the calculated and experimental spectral data. Some of the complexes showed antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli representing Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria respectively when compared with Enrofloxacin as a standard antibiotic.