Metallosurfactant Schiff base cobalt(III) coordination complexes. Synthesis, characterization, determination of CMC values and biological activities

Abstract

Twelve surfactant Schiff base ligands were synthesized from salicylaldehyde and its chloro-, bromo- and methoxy- derivatives by condensation with long-chain aliphatic primary amines, and a number of mixed ligand cobalt(III) surfactant Schiff base coordination complexes of the type [Co(trien)A]²⁺ were synthesized from the corresponding dihalogeno complexes by ligand substitution. The Schiff bases and their complexes were characterized by physico-chemical and spectroscopic methods. The complexes form foams in aqueous solution upon shaking. The critical micelle concentration (CMC) values of the complexes in aqueous solution were obtained from conductance measurements. Specific conductivity data (at 303–323 K) served for the evaluation of the thermodynamics of micellization ($\Updelta G_{\text{m}}^{0}$, $\Updelta H_{\text{m}}^{0}$, $\Updelta S_{\text{m}}^{0}$). The complexes were tested for its antimicrobial activity.