Abstract
Two Schiff bases, L
1
(5,6;11,12-dibenzophenone-2,3,8,9-tetramethyl-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododeca-1,3,7,9-tetraene) and L
2
(6,7;13,14-dibenzophenone-2,4,9,11-tetramethyl-1,5,8,12-tetraazacyclotetradeca-1,4,8,11-tetraene), bearing functionalized pendant arms have been synthesized by cyclocondensation of 3,4-diaminobenzophenone with 2,3-butanedione and 2,4-pentanedione, respectively. Mononuclear macrocyclic complexes [FeL
1
Cl
2
]Cl, [FeL
2
Cl
2
]Cl, [ML
1
Cl
2
], and [ML
2
Cl
2
] (where M = Co(II) and Cu(II)) have been prepared by reacting iron(III), cobalt(II), and copper(II) with the preformed Schiff base. The ligands and their corresponding metal complexes were characterized by elemental analyses, ESI-mass spectra, conductivity, magnetic moments, UV-Vis, EPR, IR,
1
H-, and
13
C-NMR spectral studies, and TGA-DTA/DSC data. The TGA profiles exhibit a two-step pyrolysis, although the iron complexes decompose in three steps, leaving behind metal oxides as the final product. The ligands and complexes were screened in vitro against Gram-positive bacteria, Gram-negative bacteria, and fungi.