Metal based isatin-derived sulfonamides: their synthesis, characterization, coordination behavior and biological activity.

Some isatin derived sulfonamides and their transition metal [Co(II), Cu(II), Ni(II), Zn(II)] complexes have been synthesized and characterized. The structure of synthesized compounds and their nature of bonding have been inferred on the basis of their physical (magnetic susceptibility and conductivity measurements), analytical (elemental analyses) and spectral (IR, (1)H NMR and (13)C NMR) properties. An octahedral geometry has been suggested for Co(II), Ni(II) and Zn(II) and square-planar for Cu(II) complexes. In order to assess the antibacterial and antifungal behavior, the ligands and their metal(II) complexes were screened for their in vitro antibacterial activity against four Gram-negative species, Escherichia coli, Shigella flexneri, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Salmonella typhi and two Gram-positive species, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis and, for in vitro antifungal activity against Trichophyton longifusus, Candida albicans, Aspergillus flavus, Microsporum canis, Fusarium solani and Candida glaberata. In vitro cytotoxic properties of all the compounds were also studied against Artemia salina by brine shrimp bioassay. The results of average antibacterial/antifungal activity showed that zinc(II) complexes were found to be the most active against one or more bacterial/fungal strains as compared to the other metal complexes.