Synthesis and Structure of a Water-Soluble Hexanuclear Silver(I) Nicotinate Cluster Comprised of a “Cyclohexane-Chair”-Type of Framework, Showing Effective Antibacterial and Antifungal Activities: Use of “Sparse Matrix” Techniques for Growing Crystals of Water-Soluble Inorganic Complexes

Synthesis, Structure, Biological Activity, and Luminescence Properties of a "Butterfly"-Type Silver Cluster with 3-Benzyl-4-phenyl-1,2,4-triazol-5-thiol

A new silver(I) cluster [Ag8L4(Py)(Pype)]·4Py·11H2O (I) with 3-benzyl-4-phenyl-1,2,4-triazol-5-thiol (L) was synthesized via the direct reaction of AgNO3 and L in MeOH, followed by recrystallization from a pyridine-piperidine mixture. The compound I was isolated in a monocrystal form and its crystal structure was determined via single crystal X-ray diffraction. The complex forms a "butterfly" cluster with triazol-5-thioles. The purity of the silver complex and its stability in the solution was confirmed via NMR analysis. Excitation and emission of the free ligand and its silver complex were studied at room temperature for solid samples. The in vitro biological activity of the free ligand and its complex was studied in relation to the non-pathogenic Mycolicibacterium smegmatis strain. Complexation of the free ligand with silver increases the biological activity of the former by almost twenty times. For the newly obtained silver cluster, a bactericidal effect was established.

Structure-Activity Relationships in NHC-Silver Complexes as Antimicrobial Agents

Silver has a long history of antimicrobial activity and received an increasing interest in last decades owing to the rise in antimicrobial resistance. The major drawback is the limited duration of its antimicrobial activity. The broad-spectrum silver containing antimicrobial agents are well represented by N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) silver complexes. Due to their stability, this class of complexes can release the active Ag⁺ cations in prolonged time. Moreover, the properties of NHC can be tuned introducing alkyl moieties on N-heterocycle to provide a range of versatile structures with different stability and lipophilicity. This review presents designed Ag complexes and their biological activity against Gram-positive, Gram-negative bacteria and fungal strains. In particular, the structure-activity relationships underlining the major requirements to increase the capability to induce microorganism death are highlighted here. Moreover, some examples of encapsulation of silver-NHC complexes in polymer-based supramolecular aggregates are reported. The targeted delivery of silver complexes to the infected sites will be the most promising goal for the future.

Solid-State Structures and Photoluminescence of Lamellar Architectures of Cu(I) and Ag(I) Paddlewheel Clusters with Hydrogen-Bonded Polar Guests

Two hexanuclear paddlewheel-like clusters appending six carboxylic-acid pendants have been isolated with the inclusion of polar solvent guests: [Cu₆(Hmna)₆]·7DMF (1·7DMF) and [Ag₆(Hmna)₆]·8DMSO (2·8DMSO), where H₂mna = 2-mercaptonicotininc acid, DMF = N,N’-dimethylformamide, and DMSO = dimethyl sulfoxide. The solvated clusters, together with their fully desolvated forms 1 and 2, have been characterized by FTIR, UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, TG-DTA analysis, and DFT calculations. Crystal structures of two solvated clusters 1·7DMF and 2·8DMSO have been unambiguously determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Six carboxylic groups appended on the clusters trap solvent guests, DMF or DMSO, through H-bonds. As a result, alternately stacked lamellar architectures comprising of a paddlewheel cluster layer and H-bonded solvent layer are formed. Upon UV illumination (λ_ex = 365 nm), the solvated hexasilver(I) cluster 2·8DMSO gives intense greenish-yellow photoluminescence in the solid state (λ_PL = 545 nm, Φ_PL = 0.17 at 298 K), whereas the solvated hexacopper(I) cluster 1·7DMF displays PL in the near-IR region (λ_PL = 765 nm, Φ_PL = 0.38 at 298 K). Upon complete desolvation, a substantial bleach in the PL intensity (Φ_PL < 0.01) is observed. The desorption–sorption response was studied by the solid-state PL spectroscopy. Non-covalent interactions in the crystal including intermolecular H-bonds, CH⋯π interactions, and π⋯π stack were found to play decisive roles in the creation of the lamellar architectures, small-molecule trap-and-release behavior, and guest-induced luminescence enhancement.

Synthesis and Spectroscopic Investigations of Schiff Base Ligand and Its Bimetallic Ag(I) Complex as DNA and BSA Binders

Generation of well-defined potential metallotherapeutics for cancer treatment, one of the most population-threatening diseases, is challenging and an active area of modern research in view of their unique properties and thus multiple possible pathways of action in cells. Specifically, Schiff base ligands were recognized as very promising building blocks for the construction of stable and active complexes of numerous geometries and topologies. Incorporation of Ag(I) ions allows for the formation of flat complexes with potential unoccupied coordination sites, thus giving rise to specific interactions between the metallotherapeutic and biomolecule of interest. Herein, we present the design, synthesis and characterization of new Schiff base ligand L and its Ag(I) bimetallic complex [Ag2L2]2+ with two planar moieties formed around the metal ions and connected through cyclohexane rings, confirmed by X-ray measurements. The compounds were described in context of their potential use as anticancer drugs through DNA and BSA binding pathways by several spectroscopic methods (CD, UV-Vis, fluorescence). We revealed that both, L and [Ag2L2]2+, interact with similar affinity with CT-DNA (Kb~106 M-1), while they differ in the type and strength of interactions with the model albumin-BSA. [Ag2L2]2+ binds BSA in both a dynamic and static manner with the Ksv = 8.8 × 104 M-1 in the Trp-134 and Trp-213 sites, whereas L interacts with BSA only dynamically (KSV = 2.4 × 104 M-1). This found further confirmation in the CD studies which revealed a reduction in α-helix content in the albumin of 16% in presence of [Ag2L2]2+.

Antimicrobial Activity and DNA/BSA Binding Affinity of Polynuclear Silver(I) Complexes with 1,2-Bis(4-pyridyl)ethane/ethene as Bridging Ligands

1,2-Bis(4-pyridyl)ethane (bpa) and 1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethene (bpe) were used for the synthesis of polynuclear silver(I) complexes, {[Ag(bpa)]NO3}n (1), {[Ag(bpa)2]CF3SO3 .H2O}n (2) and {[Ag(bpe)]CF3SO3}n (3). In complexes 1-3, the corresponding nitrogen-containing heterocycle acts as a bridging ligand between two Ag(I) ions. In vitro antimicrobial activity of these complexes, along with the ligands used for their synthesis, was evaluated against the broad panel of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and fungi. The silver(I) complexes 1-3 showed selectivity towards Candida spp. and Gram-negative Escherichia coli in comparison to the other investigated bacterial strains, effectively inhibiting the growth of four different Candida species with minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) between 2.5 and 25 μg/mL and the growth of E. coli, with MIC value being 12.5 μg/mL. Importantly, complex 2 significantly reduced C. albicans filamentation, an essential process for its pathogenesis. Antiproliferative effect on the normal human lung fibroblast cell line MRC-5 was also evaluated with the aim of determining the therapeutic potential of the complexes 1-3. The interactions of these complexes with calf thymus DNA (ctDNA) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) were studied to evaluate their binding activities towards these biomolecules for possible insights on their mode of action.

Self-assembly of water-soluble silver nanoclusters: superstructure formation and morphological evolution

Supramolecular self-assembly, based on non-covalent interactions, has been employed as an efficient approach to obtain various functional materials from nanometer-sized building blocks, in particular, [Ag₆(mna)₆]^6-, mna = mercaptonicotinate (Ag₆-NC). A challenging issue is how to modulate the self-assembly process through regulating the relationship between building blocks and solvents. Herein, we report the controlled self-assembly of hexanuclear silver nanoclusters into robust multilayer vesicles in different solvents, DMSO, CH₃CN, EG and MeOH. Their unique luminescence enables them to be bifunctional probes to sense Fe³⁺ and dl-dithiothreitol (DTT). By protonating the Ag₆-NC to Ag₆-H-NC using hydrochloric acid (HCl), the multilayer vesicles survive in aprotic solvents, DMSO and CH₃CN, but are transformed to nanowires in protic solvents, water, EG and MeOH. Our results demonstrated that the solvent-bridged H-bond plays a key role in the evolution of the morphologies from vesicles to nanowires. Moreover, the nanowires could further hierarchically self-assemble in water into hydrogels with high water content (99.5%), and with remarkable mechanical strength and self-healing properties. This study introduces a robust cluster-based building block in a supramolecular self-assembly system and reveals the significance of aprotic and protic solvents for the modulation of the morphologies of cluster-based aggregates.

The crystal structure of tetrakis(1,3,5-triaza-7-phosphatricyclo[3.3.1.13,7]decane-κP)silver(I) chloride dihydrate, C24H60AgClN12O6P4

C24H60AgClN12O6P4, tetragonal, P42/nmc (no. 137), a = 14.1874(3) Å, c = 9.8721(3) Å, V = 1987.08(1) Å3, Z = 2, R gt(F) = 0.0148, wR ref(F 2) = 0.0417, T = 100 K.

A small-molecule acts as a 'roadblock' on DNA, hampering its fundamental processes

DNA replication, RNA and protein synthesis are the most fundamental housekeeping processes involved in an organism's growth. Failure or dysregulation of these pathways are often deleterious to life. Therefore, selective inhibition of such processes can be crucial for the inhibition of the growth of any cell, including cancer cells, pathogenic bacteria or other deadly microbes. In the present study, a Zn²⁺ complex is shown to act as a roadblock of DNA. The Zn²⁺ complex inhibited DNA taq polymerase activity under the in vitro conditions of polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Under in vivo conditions, it readily crosses the cell wall of gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli), leading to the reduction of RNA levels as well as protein content. Growth of pathogenic bacteria (e.g., Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) was also significantly retarded. The Zn²⁺ complex binds to the grooves of the DNA without inducing conformational changes or exhibiting chemical nuclease activity. To the best current knowledge, this is first coordination complex exhibiting a 'roadblock' property under both in vitro and in vivo conditions (show at all three levels - DNA, RNA and protein). The label-free approach used in this study may offer an alternative route towards fighting pathogenic bacteria or cancer cells by hampering fundamental cellular processes.

Silver complexes of ligands derived from adamantylamines: Water-soluble silver-donating compounds with antibacterial properties

Two new silver(I) complexes, namely [Ag(qyAm)2](CF3SO3) (1) and [Ag(qyTAm)2](CF3SO3) (2), (qyAm=2-(quinonyl)iminoadamantane, qyTAm=2-(quinonyl)iminotriazaadamantane) have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analyses, 1H NMR, IR, electronic absorption spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. The coordination geometry of the silver center in both complexes is distorted tetrahedral where their respective qyAm and qyTAm ligand bind in a bidentate fashion using the imine and quinoline nitrogen atoms. Complex 2 is soluble in water and exhibits strong antimicrobial actions on both Gram-negative (E. coli, and P. aeruginosa) and Gram-positive (S. aureus) bacteria. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) values for complex 2 (4, 4, and 8 μg for E. coli, P. aeruginosa, and S. aureus, respectively) are comparable to MIC values of silver nitrate and silver sulfadiazine.

Targeting the molecular chaperone SlyD to inhibit bacterial growth with a small molecule

Molecular chaperones are essential molecules for cell growth, whereby they maintain protein homeostasis. Because of their central cellular function, bacterial chaperones might be potential candidates for drug targets. Antimicrobial resistance is currently one of the greatest threats to human health, with gram-negative bacteria being of major concern. We found that a Cu2+ complex readily crosses the bacterial cell wall and inhibits SlyD, which is a molecular chaperone, cis/trans peptidyl prolyl isomerise (PPIase) and involved in various other metabolic pathways. The Cu2+ complex binds to the active sites of SlyD, which suppresses its PPIase and chaperone activities. Significant cell growth retardation could be observed for pathogenic bacteria (e.g., Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa). We anticipate that rational development of drugs targeting molecular chaperones might help in future control of pathogenic bacterial growth, in an era of rapidly increasing antibiotic resistance.

Silver(i) complexes with quinazoline and phthalazine: synthesis, structural characterization and evaluation of biological activities

New silver(i) complexes with quinazoline and phthalazine have been synthesized, characterized and evaluated for their antimicrobial activity and their effect on the viability of fibroblasts and the development of zebrafish embryos.

Silver(I) complexes of N-methylbenzothiazole-2-thione: synthesis, structures and antibacterial activity

Three silver(I) complexes containing N-methylbenzothiazole-2-thione (mbtt) have been prepared and structurally characterized by X-ray single-crystal analysis. Silver(I) nitrate, and silver(I) triflate react with mbtt to give homoleptic complexes of formula [(mbtt)2Ag(μ-mbtt)2Ag(mbtt)2](NO3)2 (1) and [Ag(mbtt)3](CF3SO3) (2) respectively, while silver(I) chloride gives the binuclear halide-bridged [(mbtt)2Ag(μ2-Cl)2Ag(mbtt)2] (3). In the binuclear complex 1 the two metal ions, separated by 3.73 Å from each other, are doubly bridged by the exocyclic S-atoms of two mbtt ligands, with the tetrahedral environment around each silver ion being completed by the S-atoms of two terminally bonded mbtt units. Compound 2 is mononuclear with the metal ion surrounded by the exocyclic S-atoms of three mbtt ligands in a nearly ideal trigonal planar arrangement. The new complexes showed significant in vitro antibacterial activity against certain Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacterial strains.

A novel preparation for a PVA/l-histidine/AgNPs membrane and its antibacterial property

The process of preparation for PVA/l-histidine/AgNPs membrane.

Gel-assisted crystallization of [Ir4(IMe)7(CO)H10]2+ and [Ir4(IMe)8H9]3+ clusters derived from catalytic glycerol dehydrogenation

Two unique Ir₄ clusters isolated during catalytic glycerol dehydrogenation, crystallized using aqueous and organic gel matrices and displaying remarkable structural features are described.

Molecular structure and spectral properties of ethyl 3-quinolinecarboxylate (E3Q) and [Ag(E3Q)2(TCA)] complex (TCA=Trichloroacetate)

A new [Ag(E3Q)2(TCA)] complex; (E3Q=Ethyl 3-quinolinecarboxylate and TCA=Trichloroacetate) has been synthesized and characterized using elemental analysis, FTIR, NMR and mass spectroscopy. The molecular geometry and spectroscopic properties of the complex as well as the free ligand have been calculated using the hybrid B3LYP method. The calculations predicted a distorted tetrahedral arrangement around Ag(I) ion. The vibrational spectra of the studied compounds have been assigned using potential energy distribution (PED). TD-DFT method was used to predict the electronic absorption spectra. The most intense absorption band showed a bathochromic shift and lowering of intensity in case of the complex (233.7 nm, f=0.5604) compared to E3Q (λmax=228.0 nm, f=0.9072). The calculated (1)H NMR chemical shifts using GIAO method showed good correlations with the experimental data. The computed dipole moment, polarizability and HOMO-LUMO energy gap were used to predict the nonlinear optical (NLO) properties. It is found that Ag(I) enhances the NLO activity. The natural bond orbital (NBO) analyses were used to elucidate the intramolecular charge transfer interactions causing stabilization for the investigated systems.

Structure, crystal growth, optical and mechanical studies of poly bis (thiourea) silver (I) nitrate single crystal: a new semi organic NLO material

A new semi organic non linear optical polymeric crystal, bis (thiourea) silver (I) nitrate (TuAgN) with dimension 8×7×1.5 mm(3) has been successfully grown from aqueous solution by slow evaporation solution technique. Single crystal X-ray diffraction study reveals that the crystal belongs to orthorhombic system with non centrosymmetric space group C2221. The crystalline perfection of the crystal was analyzed by high resolution X-ray diffraction (HRXRD) rocking curve measurements. Functional groups present in the crystal were analyzed qualitatively by infrared and Confocal Raman spectral analysis. Effects due to coordination of thiourea with metal ions were also discussed. Optical absorption study on TuAgN crystal shows the minimum absorption in the entire UV-Vis region and the lower cut off wavelength of TuAgN is found to be 318 nm. Thermal analysis shows that the material is thermally stable up to 180°C. The mechanical strength and its parameters of the grown crystal were estimated by Vicker's microhardness test. The second harmonic generation (SHG) efficiency of the crystal was measured by Kurtz's powder technique infers that the crystal has nonlinear optical (NLO) efficiency 0.85 times that of KDP.

New water-soluble polypyridine silver(I) derivatives of 1,3,5-triaza-7-phosphaadamantane (PTA) with significant antimicrobial and antiproliferative activities

The new series of silver(I) coordination polymers [Ag(N-N)(μ-PTA)]n(X)n (1, 2, 4-8, 10, 11) and discrete monomers [Ag(N-N)(PTA)2](X) (3, 9) {N-N = bpy (1-3), dtbpy (4), neocup (5, 6), phen (7-9), dione (10, 11); X = NO3 (1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 10), PF6 (2, 4, 6, 8, 11)} were generated by self-assembly reactions, in MeOH at ~25 °C, of AgNO3 or AgPF6 with 1,3,5-triaza-7-phosphaadamantane (PTA) and the corresponding polypyridines, namely 2,2'-bipyridine (bpy), 4,4'-di-tert-butyl-2,2'-bipyridine (dtbpy), 1,10-phenanthroline (phen), 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline (neocup) and 1,10-phenanthroline-5,6-dione (dione). The compounds were obtained as air and light stable solids and characterized by IR, (1)H and (31)P{(1)H} NMR spectroscopy, ESI(+)-MS and elemental analyses. The crystal structure of 1 was determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis, revealing infinite one-dimensional (1D) linear chains driven by μ-PTA N,P-linkers. Apart from representing the first examples of the metal-PTA derivatives bearing polypyridine ligands, 1-11 also feature solubility in water (S(25°C) ≈ 4-18 mg mL(-1)). Selected compounds (1, 3, 5, 7, 9 and 10) were thus tested for their biological properties and found to exhibit significant antibacterial and antifungal activities, screened in vitro against the standard strains of Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus pyogenes, Staphylococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus sanguinis, Staphylococcus mutans, Enterococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans. Furthermore, the compounds 5, 7, 9 and 10 show a pronounced antiproliferative activity against human malignant melanoma (A375), and the effects on the inhibition of tumor cells in vitro are in agreement with the DNA-binding studies.