Synthesis, spectroscopic investigations, and biological activity of metal complexes of N-benzoylthiosemicarbazide

N-Benzoylthiosemicarbazide, HL, was obtained by fusion of benzoylhydrazide and ammonium thiocyanate. Reactions of HL with cobalt(II), nickel(II), copper(II), zinc(II), iron(III), cadmium(II), oxovanadium(IV), and dioxouranium(VI) in 1 : 1 molar ratio yield the corresponding complexes. The N-benzoylthiosemicarbazide may act as a neutral or monobasic bidentate ligand coordinated through NS or NO sites. The structures of the HL ligand and its complexes were identified by elemental analysis, infrared, electronic, mass, 1H-NMR, and ESR spectra as well as magnetic susceptibility and molar conductivity measurements. Different geometries were obtained for the metal complexes. The ligand and its metal complexes were investigated for antibacterial and antifungal properties. Two Gram-positive bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes, two Gram-negative, bacteria, Pseudomonas fluorescens and Pseudomonas phaseolicola and two fungi, Fusarium oxysporum and Aspergillus fumigatus, were used in this study. The metal complexes were more effective than the free ligand.