Abstract: Complexes PVA-Fe(Ⅲ),PVA-Zn(Ⅱ),PVA-Cd(Ⅱ) and PVA-Hg(Ⅱ) were synthesized by the coordination reaction of corresponding metal ions with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) in solution.The complexes were characterized by IR,Raman and XPS.The IR spectra showed that ν_C-O shifted to lower wavenumbers by 8~11 cm^-1 from 1 094 cm^-1(PVA),and ν_C-C shifted to lower wavenumbers by 3~8 cm^-1 from 1 430 cm^-1(PVA).The Raman spectra of the complexes indicated that there was a new metal-oxygen absorption peak in the 200~400 cm^-1 region.The XPS spectrum of PVA-Fe(Ⅲ) indicated that the binding energies of O_1s(533.0 eV),C_1s(285.0 eV) and Fe_2p(712.0 eV) were different for PVA[O_1s(532.5 eV),C_1s(284.6 eV)]and FeCl₃[Fe_2p(711.2 eV)].The above results showed that a coordination bond was formed between the hydroxide oxygen in PVA and the empty orbital in the metal ions.The anti-bacterial experiment results showed that the anti-bacterial activity of PVA-Hg(Ⅱ) complex to escherichia coli,bacillus subtilis and staphylococcus aureus were very good,the anti-bacterial activity of PVA-Zn(Ⅱ) was weak,and PVA-Zn(Ⅱ) and PVA-Cd(Ⅱ) had no anti-bacterial activity.