2,4,5-Trimethoxybenzaldehyde was condensed with S-benzyldithiocarbazate to give Schiff base 2,4,5-trimethoxy benzaldehyde-S-benzyldithiocarbazone (BBTC), which was used for complexation with Mn(II), Fe(II) and Co(II) metal ions. The complexes were formulated as M(BBTC)2X2 where X is Cl−, NO3− and CH3COO−. The FTIR spectra of the metal complexes in comparison to that of free ligand suggested the coordination through azomethine nitrogen and thion sulphur forming six membered chelating with metal ion. The magnetic susceptibility and electronic spectral bands revealed octahedral symmetry (Oh) around Mn(II) but tetragonally distorted octahedral symmetry (D4h) of Fe(II) and Co(II) complexes. The positive value of Dt for Fe(II) (68.42-135.2 cm-1) and Co(II) (263-280 cm-1) clearly indicated elongation along z-axis in these complexes which was also supported by the less value of Dq(z) than Dq(xy) for the metal complexes. The ligand as well as its metal complexes have been found active against the bacteria Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, and antibacterial activity of the free ligand has been observed to have enhanced in metal complexes.

1-phenylazo-2-nephthol has been synthesized and used for complexation with Cu(II) metal ion along with pyridine, α-picoline, β- picoline, γ-picoline and water as secondary ligands. On the basis of elemental analysis and molar conductivity complexes were formulated as CuL2X [Where L is the prime ligand i.e 1-phenyl-azo-2-nephthol and X is the secondary ligand i.e. pyridine, α-picoline, β-picoline, and H2O.] The magnetic moment of these complexes (1.80 - 1.83 BM) indicates that these complexes are magnetically dilute. The appearance of 3 bands in the electronic spectra of complexes rules out the trigonal bipyramidal (D3h) symmetry arround Cu(II) ion in these complexes rather the electronic spectra favours square pyramidal (C4V) symmetry of these five coordinate complexes. The highest value of 10Dq clearly indicates the greater coordinating ability of α-picoline than pyridine, β-picoline and γ-picoline.