Synthesis, spectroscopic (IR, electronic, FAB-mass, and PXRD), magnetic, and antimicrobial studies of new iron(III) complexes containing Schiff bases and substituted benzoxazole ligands

Mixed ligand complexes of iron(III), [Fe(sb)(2)(py)Cl]center dot 2H(2)O (1-9) [where sbH = Schiff bases (derived from condensation of 2-aminopyridine (sapH), 2-aminophenol (saphH), o-toluidine (o-smabH), aminobenzene (sabH), p-toluidine (p-smabH), 3-nitroaniline (snabH), and anthranilic acid (saaH) with salicylaldehyde and substituted (mercapto-)benzimidazole (mbzH), {2-(o-hydroxyphenyl)}benzoxazole, (pboxH)], have been synthesized by the interactions of iron(III) chloride with corresponding ligands in 1:2 molar ratio in refluxing pyridine. These complexes have been characterized by elemental analyses, melting points, spectral, and magnetic studies. Powder X-ray diffraction studies of some representative complexes are also reported herein. The antibacterial and antifungal activities of the free ligands and their iron(III) complexes were found in vitro. The complexes showed good antibacterial and antifungal effect to some bacteria and fungi. Two standard antibiotics (chloromphenicol and terbinafine) were used for comparison with these complexes.