A new Schiff base and a new series of Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), Cd(II), and Hg(II) complexes were synthesized by the condensation of naphthofuran-2-carbohydrazide and diacetylmonoxime. Metal complexes of the Schiff base were prepared from their chloride salts of Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), Cd(II), and Hg(II) in ethanol. The ligand along with its metal complexes have been characterized on the basis of analytical data, IR, electronic, mass, 1HNMR, ESR spectral data, thermal studies, magnetic susceptibility, and molar conductance measurements. The nonelectrolytic behaviour of the complexes was assessed from the measured low conductance data. The elemental analysis of the complexes confirm the stoichiometry of the type CuL2Cl2 and MLCl2 where M = Ni(II), Co(II), Cd(II), and Hg(II) and L = Schiff base. The redox property of the Cu(II) complex was investigated by electrochemical method using cyclic voltammetry. In the light of these results, Co(II), Ni(II), and Cu(II) complexes are assigned octahedral geometry, Cd(II), and Hg(II) complexes tetrahedral geometry. In order to evaluate the effect of metal ions upon chelation, both the ligand and its metal complexes were screened for their antibacterial and antifungal activities by minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) method. The DNA cleaving capacity of all the complexes was analysed by agarose gel electrophoresis method.
