Ferrocenyl chalcone-based Schiff bases and their metal complexes: Highly efficient, solvent-free synthesis, characterization, biological research

This study highlights the synthesis and characterization of Schiff base ligands namely 1-ferrocenyl-3-(2-furyl) propenone diamino (thio) urea and selected metal complexes including Pb(II), Bi(III), Cu(II), Cr(III), Ba(II), Cd (II), Fe(II), Ni(II), Sn(II), Nd(II) as a central metal. The stoichiometric ratios of the prepared complexes were estimated using complementary techniques such as elemental analyses (C, H, N), FT-IR and molar conductivity. Furthermore, their physicochemical studies were carried out using thermal TGA. Antimicrobial activities of both the Schiff base ligand and its metal complexes were tested against strains of Gram (-ve), such as E. coli and S. aureus and MRSA, C. albicans and A. flavus fungi. The investigated Schiff base complexes showed higher activity and stability than their corresponding Schiff base ligands and the addition of ferrocene group also achieved the function of drug superposition. Moreover, the prepared Schiff base ligand and its Cu(II) and Cd(II) and Ni(II) complexes have been evaluated for their anticancer activities against two cancer cell lines namely mouse leukemia cells (P-388) and lung cancer (A-549) cell lines. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.