Synthesis, Characterization, Modeling, and Antimicrobial Activity of FeIII, CoII, NiII, CuII, and ZnII Complexes Based on Tri‐substituted Imidazole Ligand

The reaction of the synthesized 2‐(4,5‐diphenyl‐1H‐imidazol‐2‐yl) phenol, (HL) ligand with Fe^III, Co^II, Ni^II, Cu^II, and Zn^II ions at room temperature resulted in the formation of the five complexes; [Fe(L)₂(H₂O)(Cl)]·2H₂O and [M(L)₂)]·nH₂O [M = Co, Zn (n = 2), Ni, Cu (n = 1)]. The ligand and its complexes were characterized based on elemental analyses, spectral, magnetic and molar conductance measurements. The molecular and electronic structure of the ligand and its complexes was optimized theoretically and the quantum chemical parameters were calculated. The results revealed an interesting geometrical variation; octahedral for FeL, seesaw for CoL, distorted square planar for NiL and CuL, as well a tetrahedral arrangement for ZnL. The HL ligand and its metal complexes were screened against the growth of pathogenic bacteria [Escherichia coli (G^–) and Bacillus cereus (G⁺)] and fungi (Aspergillus fumigatu