Synthesis, Characterization and Antibacterial Activity of Cobalt chloride complex with 2-(p-thiomethyl phenyl)benzimdazole

Abstract

The reaction of 2-(p-thiomethyl phenyl) benzimdazole (tmpbi) with the appropriate metal halide yielded the coordination product Co(tmpbi)₂Cl₂. Elemental analyses, conductance measurements, FT-IR, UV-visible, and magnetic susceptibility measurements were used to describe the complex. For this complex, a tetrahedral geometry has been proposed. The N-benzimidazole coordination is visible in the ligand tmpbi. The ligand and its complex of Co were evaluated in vitro for antimicrobial (antibacterial) activity using the paper disc diffusion method, with the selected strains being Streptococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, which represent the gramme positive and gramme negative bacterial groups, respectively. These bacteria were chosen because they are potential human pathogens that can cause dysentery and food poisoning, respectively. Against E. coli and Streptococcus aureus, the cobalt chloride complex is more effective than the ligand. When compared to the activity of the free ligand, the complex has a higher activity.