Synthesis, characterization and crystal structures of oxidovanadium(V) hydrazone complexes with antibacterial activity

Reaction of VO(acac)₂ with the hydrazone ligands N’-(2-hydroxybenzylidene)-3methylbenzohydrazide (H₂L¹) and N’-(2-hydroxybenzylidene)-3-methyl-4-nitrobenzohydrazide (H₂L²) afforded two oxidovanadium(V) complexes, [VOL¹(OMe)(MeOH)] (1) and [VOL²(OEt)(EtOH)] (2), respectively. The complexes have been characterized by elemental analyses, IR, UV-Vis, molar conductivity and X-ray single crystal diffraction techniques. The hydrazone ligands coordinate to the V ions through the phenolate oxygen, imino nitrogen and enolate oxygen atoms. The V ions in both complexes are in octahedral coordination, with the three donor atoms of the hydrazone ligands, and with the other three sites furnished by one methanol or ethanol oxygen atom, one deprotonated methanol or ethanol oxygen atom, and one oxo oxygen. The complexes were assayed for their antibacterial activity on the bacteria B. subtilis, E. coli, P. putida and S. aureus.