The work presented concerns the preparation, characterization and
biological evaluation of Cu(II) and Zn(II) complexes of Schiff bases
derived from amoxycillin, cephalexin, sulphamethoxazole and
trimethoprim, and salicylalde-hyde and pyridoxal. In these complexes an
amino group available in the drug substances was allowed to react with
salicylaldehyde and pyridoxal hydrochloride, separately, to obtain
Schiff bases which were, subsequently, reacted with Cu(CH3COO)2. H2O
and/or Zn(CH3COO)2.2H2O to form Schiff base metal complexes. The ligands
and the complexes were characterized by microanalytical,
thermogravimetric, magnetic and spectroscopic data. The geometry of the
Zn(II) complexes appears to be simple square-pyramidal or octahedral.
All the compounds under investigation possess antibacterial activity.
The antibacterial activity showed the following trend: Cu(II)-complexes
> Zn(II)-complexes > Schiff base ligands > parent xxvi drugs. The
Cu(II)-complexes with the Schiff bases derived from cephalexin showed
substantially enhanced activity against P. aeruginosa as compared with
the parent drug.