Background/aim: The rising challenge of microbial resistance necessitates the development of novel therapeutic agents. This study aims to synthesize, characterize, and evaluate the antimicrobial potential of a new series of mixed-ligand metal complexes (ZnII, CuII, NiII, and MnII) derived from a p-hydroxybenzaldehyde-4-aminoantipyrine Schiff base and 2,2′-bipyridine, in addition to assessing the binding affinity and pharmacokinetic properties of the synthesized free Schiff base ligand through molecular docking and ADME profiling. Methods: The Schiff base ligand and its transition metal complexes were synthesized and subsequently characterized using single-crystal X-ray diffraction, elemental analysis, FTIR, UV–Vis spectroscopy, NMR, magnetic susceptibility, and molar conductance. In vitro antimicrobial efficacy was tested against Gram-positive (S. aureus, B. cereus) and Gram-negative (P. mirabilis, K. pneumoniae) bacteria, and C. albicans. Computational molecular docking of the ligand against the target protein (PDB ID: 1HNJ) and SwissADME analysis were performed to evaluate its binding affinity and pharmacokinetics. Results: All synthesized complexes demonstrated significant antimicrobial activity compared to the free ligand. Specifically, Cu(II) and Zn(II) complexes emerged as the most potent agents, exhibiting the highest inhibition zones due to their enhanced lipophilicity. Molecular docking results corroborated the experimental findings, with the ligand showing a strong binding affinity of -7.08 kcal/mol. ADME studies confirmed favorable drug-likeness and membrane permeability for the free ligand. Conclusion: The study successfully developed potent mixed-ligand metal complexes with promising antimicrobial properties. Furthermore, computational studies confirmed that the free ligand possesses strong binding affinity and an excellent pharmacokinetic profile, providing a solid foundation for further development of effective metallo-drugs.
