A series of new bis triazole Schiff base derivatives (4) were prepared in good yields by treatment of 4-amino-3,5-diphenyl-4H-1,2,4-triazole (3) with bisaldehydes (1). Schiff bases (4) were reduced with NaBH(4) to afford the corresponding bisaminotriazoles (5). All the new compounds were characterized by IR, (1)H NMR and (13)C NMR spectral data. Their overall extraction (log K(ex)) constants for 1 : 1 (M : L) complexes and CHCl(3)/H(2)O systems were determined at 25 +/- 0.1 degrees C to investigate the relationship between structure and selectivity toward various metal cations. The extraction equilibrium constants were estimated using CHCl(3)/H(2)O membrane transfer with inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy spectroscopy. The stability sequence of the triazole derivatives in CHCl(3) for the metal cations was exhibited a characteristic preference order of extractability to metal ions [Fe(III) > Cu(II) > Pb(II) > Co(II) > Ni(II) > Mn(II) > Zn(II) > Mg(II) > Ca(II)]. The compounds were tested for anti-microbial activity applying agar diffusion technique for 11 bacteria. (C) 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 123: 2011-2019, 2012