Transition metal complexes of bidentate Schiff base ligands

New Schiff base ligands derived from vanillin (HL1), 4-dimethylaminobenzald ehyde (HL2) and 3,5-di-t-butyl-4-hydroxybenzaldehyde (HL3) with N-(pyridyl) -3-methoxy-4-hydroxy-5-aminobenzylamine (2) and their copper(II), cobalt(II ), nickel(II), oxovanadium(IV) and zinc(II) transition metal complexes have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analyses, electronic and i .r. spectra, molar conductance data and by H-1 and C-13 n.m.r. spectra. The results indicate that the ligands coordinate through azomethine nitrogen a nd phenolic oxygen to the metal ions. In like manner, it was found that the pyridine and amine nitrogen atoms are not coordinated to the metal ions. T he H-1 and C-13 n.m.r. spectral data confirmed the suggested structure for the Schiff base ligands, and the mass spectra results confirmed the propose d structure of the ligands. The antimicrobial activity properties of the li gands and their metal complexes have been studied.