SPECTRAL CHARACTERIZATION AND ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF 4-(5-H/Me/Cl/NO2-1H-BENZIMIDAZOL-2-YL)-BENZENE-1,3-DIOLS AND SOME METAL COMPLEXES

4-(5-H/methyl/chloro/nitro-1H-benzimidazol-2-yl)-benzene-1,3-diol (HLX: X=1-4) ligands and HL1 complexes with Fe(NO3)(3), Cu(NO3)(2), AgNO3, Zn(NO3)(2), K2PdCl4 and HAuCl4 have been synthesized and characterized. The structures of the compounds were confirmed on the basis of elemental analysis, molar conductivity, magnetic moment, FT-IR, ESI-MS, NMR and UV-visible spectroscopy. The antimicrobial activities of the ligands and the complexes were evaluated using the disk diffusion method in DMSO as well as the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) dilution method, against Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhi, Shigella flexneri, Proteus mirabilis and the results are compared with Cefuroxime and Ciprofloxazin. Antifungal activities were reported for Candida albicans, and the results were referenced against Clotrimazole antifungal agents. Pd(II), Ag(I) and Au(III) complexes showed considerable antibacterial and antifungal activity while the ligand itself has no activity.