Antimicrobial, insect sterilizing and ovicidal activity of some oxo-vanadium(IV) and oxo-vanadium(V) complexes

Twenty-three newly synthesized mixed-ligand complexes of oxo-vanadium(IV) and oxo-vanadium(V) were studied for antimicrobial activity. Eight of these complexes were found to have microbicidal properties. The complexes [NH4][VO(gl)2]H2O (gl-H2 = glycolic acid) and [VO(ACOAP)(acac-H)]H20 (ACOAP-H2=Schiff base of acetylacetone and orthoaminophenol, acac-H=acetyl-acetone) show broad bactericidal spectra, while the complexes [VO(ACSAM)2]OH (ACSAM-H = Schiff base of acetylacetone and sulphanilamide) and [VO(CSSAM-H)2]H2O (CSSAM-H =Schiff base of 3-carboxy salicylaldehyde and sulphanilamide) possess pronounced antidermatophytic properties. The latter is inhibitory to plant pathogenic fungi as well. Plant tumour producing Agrobacterium tumefaciens is effectively inhibited in vitro by the complex [VO(ACTSC-Na)(acac)]H2O (ACTSC-H2 = condensation product of acetylacetone and thiosemicarbazide). Minimum inhibitory concentrations of all the active complexes are within the values of 0.125-2.00 mg/ml. Out of the 7 active complexes tested for 50% inhibition of conidial germination of Helminthosporium oryzae, a rice plant pathogen, only 1 complex, viz. [VO(acac) (ACACAACD)] (ACACAACD(H)NH4 equal Schiff base of acetylacetone and ammonium 2-amino-1-cyclopentene-1-dithiocarboxylate) shows a positive result. The effective concentration is 0.55 mg/ml. Three vanadium complexes were tested for insect sterilant and ovicidal properties on the red cotton bug, Dysdercus koenigi. The complex [VO(HASA-Na) (acac)]H2O (HASA-H2 = Schiff base of orthohydroxyacetophenone and anthr anilic acid) was found to be a suitable male sterilant.