Ceftriaxone-based Schiff base transition metal(II) complexes. Synthesis, characterization, bacterial toxicity, and DFT calculations. Enhanced antibacterial activity of a novel Zn(II) complex against S. aureus and E. coli.

From the reaction of ceftriaxone 1 antibiotic with 2,6-diaminopyridine 2 a ceftriaxone-based Schiff base (HL,3) was obtained and its transition metal complexes were synthesized. Spectroscopic and physicochemical techniques, namely, UV-visible, FT-IR, H NMR, EPR, mass spectrometry, molar conductance, magnetic susceptibility and density functional theory (DFT) calculations, together with elemental and thermal analyses, were used to find out the binding mode and composition of these complexes. The ceftriaxone-based Schiff base 3 behaves as a monoanionic tridentate N,N,O ligand.