Abstract

A series of five new metal complexes of Ho(III) with C-3 substituted derivatives of lawsonemonexime (2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthalenediene-1-oxime) were synthesized. The compounds were characterized by melting point, elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy and magnetic susceptibility. The antimicrobial activity of the compounds were determined by disk diffusion method and broth micro-dilution techniques using Mueller Hinton medium against the following organisms: S. aureus ATCC 6538P, Klebsiella pneumoniae, NCTC 418, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27833, Salmonella typhimurium ATCC 23564, E. coli U 1777, E. coli HB101, Proteus morganii NCIM 2860, Providencia stuartii NCIM 2799 and Acinetobacter baumannii U 24. The chelates of Ho(III) with lawsonemonoxime and Ho(III) with 3-bromolawsonemonoxime showed a variable antimicrobial activity against all organisms tested except Pseudomonas and Klebsiella spp. S. aureus was found more sensitive to all ligands and chelates tested; but the MIC values of chelates were considerably less; thus having more antimicrobial effect.