PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a bipyridine compound useful as an active component of an antimicrobial agent or utilizable as a raw material of an electronic material, optical material, oxygen absorbing material, hydrogen absorbing material, dye, and catalyst, a salt thereof, or a metal complex thereof and to provide an antimicrobial agent which has a definite effect and can be used safely, and shows a practical controlling effect against a wide range of pathogens.SOLUTION: Provided is a bipyridine compound represented by formula (1), a salt thereof, or a metal complex thereof. (In formula (1), R1, R2, R3, and R4 are each independently a hydrogen atom, a halogeno group, etc. n1 shows the number of R1 groups and is an integer of 0 to 4 n2 represents the number of R2 groups and is an integer of o to 4 n3 represents the number of R3 groups and is an integer of 0 to 3 n4 represents the number of R4 groups and is an integer of 0 to 3 R5, R6, R7, R8, R9, and R10 are each independently a hydrogen atom, a C1-6 alkyl group, etc.)COPYRIGHT: (C)2014,JPO&INPIT【課題】殺菌剤の有効成分として有用な、または電子材料、光学材料、酸素吸着材、水素吸着材、色素、触媒などの原材料として利用可能なビピリジン化合物、その塩または金属錯体;および効果が確実で安全に使用でき、広い範囲の病原菌に対して実用的な防除効果を示す殺菌剤の提供。【解決手段】式(I)で表されるビピリジン化合物、その塩または金属錯体。〔式(I)中、R1、R2、R3およびR4は、独立に、水素原子、ハロゲノ基などを示す。n1はR1の数を示し且つ0~4のいずれかの整数である。n2はR2の数を示し且つ0~4のいずれかの整数である。n3はR3の数を示し且つ0~3のいずれかの整数である。n4はR4の数を示し且つ0~3のいずれかの整数である。R5、R6、R7、R8、R9およびR10は、独立に、水素原子、C1~6アルキル基などを示す。〕【選択図】なし
