Pharmacological Potentials of Schiff Base Metal Complexes: A Survey

Schiff bases are the most widely used organic compounds. These are generally bi- or tridentate ligands capable of forming very stable complexes with metal ions. In organic synthesis, Schiff base reactions are useful in making carbon-nitrogen bonds. The chemistry of Schiff base metal complexes have been studied extensively over past few decades. The C=N linkage in azomethine derivatives is found to be vital for deciding their biological activities. Several azomethine and their metal complexes have been reported to exhibit a broad range of biological activities, including antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral, antipyretic and anticancer properties. This review concentrates on the synthesis and pharmacological potentials of some selective Schiff base metal complexes.