Transition Metal(II) Complexes with Cefotaxime-Derived Schiff Base: Synthesis, Characterization, and Antimicrobial Studies

New [ML2(H2O)2] complexes, where M = Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), and Zn(II) while L corresponds to the Schiff base ligand, were synthesized by condensation of cefotaxime with salicylaldehyde in situ in the presence of divalent metal salts in ethanolic medium. The complexes were characterized by elemental analyses, conductance, and magnetic measurements, as well as by IR and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The low values of the molar conductance indicate nonelectrolyte type of complexes. Based on spectral data and magnetic moments, an octahedral geometry may be proposed for Co(II), Ni(II), and Zn(II) complexes while a tetragonal geometry for Cu(II) complex. Molecular structure of the Schiff base ligand and its complexes were studied using programs dedicated to chemical modeling and quantomolecular calculation of chemical properties. All the synthesized complexes were tested for in vitro antibacterial activity against some pathogenic bacterial strains, namely Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, and Staphylococcus aureus. The MIC values shown by the complexes against these bacterial strains revealed that the metal complexes possess superior antibacterial activity than the Schiff base.