Metal-containing copolyurethanes having ionic linkages in the main chain were synthesized by the polyaddition reaction of hexamethylene diisocyanate (HMDI) or toluene 2,4-diisocyanate (TDI) with 1:1 mixtures of divalent metal salts of mono(hydroxypentyl) phthalate, [M(HPP)](2), (where M = Ca2+ Cd2+, Pb2+ and Zn2+), and diethylene glycol (DG) by using di-n-butyltin dilaurate (DBTDL) as catalyst. The prepared coployurethanes were characterized by FT-IR, H-1-NMR, C-13-NMR, elemental analysis, solubility, viscosity and X-ray diffraction studies. Thermal properties of the polymers were also studied by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The antibacterial activity of these polymers has also been investigated by agar diffusion method. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.