Spectroscopic, thermal and antitumor investigations of sulfasalazine drug in situ complexation with alkaline earth metal ions.

The complexes of sulfasalazine (H(3)Suz) with some of alkaline metals Mg(II), Ca(II), Sr(II) and Ba(II) have been investigated. Sulfasalazine complexes were synthesized and characterized by spectroscopic tools; infrared spectra, electronic and mass spectra. The IR spectra of the prepared complexes were suggested that the H(3)Suz behaves as a bi-dentate ligand through the carboxylic and phenolic groups. The molar conductance measurements gave an idea about the non-electrolytic behavior of the H(3)Suz complexes. The thermal decomposition processes for metal(II) complexes of H(3)Suz viz: [M(HSuz)(H(2)O)(4)] (where M = Mg(II), Ca(II), Sr(II) or Ba(II)) have been accomplished on the basis of TG/DTG and DTA studies, and the formula conforms to the stoichiometry of the complexes based on elemental analysis. The kinetic analyses of the thermal decomposition were studied using the Coats-Redfern and Horowitz-Metzger equations. The antitumor and antimicrobial activities of the H(3)Suz and their alkaline metal(II) complexes were evaluated.