Synthesis, characterization and biological activity study of mixed complexes with various metal ions

Four mixed ligand complexes were prepared from 1,10-phenanthroline (Phen), 5-chlorosalicylic acid (CSA), and anthranilic acid (Anthra) dissolved in aqueous ethanol at a ratio of (1:1:1:1) M: Phen:CSA: Anthra, M(II)= Cu, Zn, Cd, and Hg. The prepared compounds were analyzed by flame atomic absorption, FT-IR, UV-Vis, and spectroscopic methods, as well as conductivity measurements and magnetic properties. After analyzing the prepared compounds using the acquired data, the complexes formed by mixing ligands were concluded to adopt an octahedral geometry. That study has been conducted to test the inhibitory effectiveness of the complexes (1,10-Phenanthroline (Phen), 5-Chlorosalicylic acid (CSA), Na[Cu(Phen)(CSA)(Anthra), Na[Zn(Phen)(CSA)(Anthra)], Na[Cd(Phen)(CSA)(Anthra)] and Na [Hg(Phen)(CSA)(Anthra)] at a concentration 10-3 mg /mL against some types of bacteria that cause urinary tract infections ( S. aureus, S. epidermidis, E.coli, K.pneumoniae and C. albicans) and test its sensitivity by Vitek -2 system to the most common antibiotics used in hospitals at the present time. The results showed that all complexes showed high inhibitory activity. All of these bacterial species and Candida albicans were resistant to antibiotics (meropenem, penicillin, gentamicin, imipenem, cefixime, ceftriaxone, amoxicillin, azithromycin, tobramycin, levofloxacin, and vancomycin). By making the prepared compounds resistant to antibiotics, they can be used as pharmaceutical compounds. KEY WORDS: 1,10-Phenanthroline (Phen), 5-Chlorosalicylic acid(CSA), Anthranilic acid (Anthra), Metal complexes, Spectral analysis, Biological activity Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2026, 40(3), 655-666. DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v40i3.12