Synthesis, Crystal Structure, and Antibacterial Activity of Di-μ-chlorido-bis({2-[(4-methoxyphenyl)-iminomethyl]pyridine-κ²N,N'] Mercury(II)

A coordination polymer [Hg(L)Cl₂]_n consisting of HgCl₂ and Schiff base bidentate ligand (4-methoxyphenyl) pyridine-2yl methyleneamine (L) was prepared and structurally characterized. Coordination compound has been characterized by infrared spectroscopy, UV-visible spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The compound crystallizes in the monoclinic sp. gr. P2₁/c with a = 9.3053(17), b = 7.1125(13), c = 20.708(4) Å, and β = 80.208(4)°. In the 1D network structure, the mercury(II) ion adopts a HgN₂Cl₃ distorted square pyramid geometry. In this complex, one chlorine atom acts as bridging ligand connecting two adjacent mercury(II) ions, while the L ligand is coordinated to mercury(II) ion in a cyclic-bidentate fashion forming a five-membered metallocyclic ring. Antibacterial activity of the complex, ligand, and metal salt was tested against Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli.