Ten new rare earth solid complexes were synthesized by the reaction of sodium 5-aminosalicyliate with rare earth chloride. The structure character, physical and chemical properties of these complexes were studied by IR, UV, ()~1H NMR spectra, TG-DTA, fluorescence, elemental analyses, molar conductance and magnetic susceptibility. The ten rare earth complexes exist in dimeric form probably and the coordination number is seven. The antibacterial activity of the ligand and six complexes was also tested against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis, and the effect of Yb complex at 20 mg·ml~(-1) against Staphylococcus aureus is most significant. Ten new rare earth solid complexes were synthesized by the reaction of sodium 5-aminosalicyliate with rare earth chloride. The structure character, physical and chemical properties of these complexes were studied by IR, UV, () ~ 1H NMR spectra, TG-DTA, fluorescence, elemental analyzes, molar conductance and magnetic susceptibility. The ten rare earth complexes exist in dimeric form probably and the coordination number is seven. The antibacterial activity of the ligand and six complexes also also tested against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis, and the effect of Yb complex at 20 mg · ml -1 against Staphylococcus aureus is most significant.