Synthesis, characterization and antimicrobial studies of Cd(II), Hg(II), Pb(II), Sn(II) and Ca(II) complexes of curcumin

Cd(II), Hg(II), Pb(II), Sn(II) and Ca(II) complexes of curcumin have been prepared and characterized on the basis of their analytical, spectral and conductance data. In all the complexes, curcumin behaved as a monobasic bidentate ligand in which the intramolecularly hydrogen-bonded enolic proton is replaced by the metal ion. The antifungal (with Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus heteromorphus and Penicillium verruculosum) and antibacterial (with Bacillus cereus) studies reveal that metal complexation considerably increased the activity of curcumin, and among the complexes, Sn(II) complex exhibited maximum activity except for A. flavus where Hg(II) complex is more active.