A series of 2-hydroxy-phenylimino(methyl)phenol Schiff bases have been evaluated for their in vitro antibacterial
and antifungal activity against Escherichia coli ATCC® 8739™*, Staphylococcus aureus subsp. aureus ATCC®
6538™*, Bacillus subtilis subsp. spizizenii ATCC® 6633™* and Candida albicans ATCC® 2091™*. The Schiff
bases were obtained from the condensation of 2-aminophenol with salicylaldehyde, 2-hydroxy-3-methoxy
benzaldehyde (o-vanillin) and 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzaldehyde (p-vanillin). The Schiff base ligands were
characterized with elemental analysis, 1H- and 13C-NMR, infrared and UV-Visible spectral data. The
salicylaldehyde and the o-vanillin analogues possess significant activity against all the tested organisms. In
addition, the Schiff bases coordinate to Cu(II) ions as dibasic tridentate ligands via the imine nitrogen and the
deprotonated phenolic oxygen atoms.