Synthesis and antimicrobial studies of 1-methyl-2-dimethylaminoethyl-substituted benzimidazolium salts and N-heterocyclic carbene–silver complexes

NHCs silver complexes as potential antimicrobial agents

NHCs (N-heterocyclic carbenes) are generally used as organic ligands that can coordinate with metal ions like silver to form stable complexes. These complexes have shown enhanced antimicrobial properties compared to silver alone. This document provides an overview of the reported NHC-based silver derivatives (acetates, chlorides, bromides, and iodides) who possess antimicrobial activity. This review covers articles published between the first report (2006) and 2023.

Benzimidazolium quaternary ammonium salts: synthesis, single crystal and Hirshfeld surface exploration supported by theoretical analysis

Owing to the broad applications of quaternary ammonium salts (QAS), we present the synthesis of benzimidazolium-based analogues with variation in the alkyl and alkoxy group at N-1 and N-3 positions. All the compounds were characterized by spectroscopic techniques and found stable to air and moisture both in the solid and solution state. Moreover, molecular structures were established through single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies. The crystal packing of the compounds was stabilized by numerous intermolecular interactions explored by Hirshfeld surface analysis. The enrichment ratio was calculated for the pairs of chemical species to acquire the highest propensity to form contacts. Void analysis was carried out to check the mechanical response of the compounds. Furthermore, theoretical investigations were also performed to explore the optoelectronic properties of compounds. Natural population analysis (NPA) has been conducted to evaluate the distribution of charges on the synthesized compounds, whereas high band gaps of the synthesized compounds by frontier molecular orbital (FMO) analysis indicated their stability. Nonlinear optical (NLO) analysis revealed that the synthesized QAS demonstrates significantly improved NLO behaviour than the standard urea.

Electrospun Metal-Organic Framework-Fabric Nanocomposites as Efficient Bactericides

In this work, we utilized electrospinning to develop advanced composite membranes of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) loaded with postmetalated metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), specifically UiO-66(COOH)₂-Ag and ZIF-8-Ag. This innovative technique led to the creation of highly stable PVC/MOFs-Ag membrane composites, which were thoroughly characterized using various analytical techniques, including scanning electron microscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, porosity analysis, and water contact angle measurement. The results verified the successful integration of MOF crystals within the nanofibrous PVC membranes. The obtained composites exhibited larger fiber diameters for 5 and 10% MOF loadings and a smaller diameter for 20% loading. Additionally, they displayed greater average pore sizes than traditional PVC membranes across most MOF loading percentages. Furthermore, we examined the antibacterial properties of the fabricated membranes at different MOFs-Ag loadings. The findings revealed that the membranes demonstrated significant antibacterial activity up to 95% against both Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) and Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) bacteria as the MOFs-Ag loading increased, even when maintaining a constant silver concentration. This indicates a contact-based inhibition mechanism. The outcomes of this study have crucial implications for the development of novel, stable, and highly effective antibacterial materials, which could serve as superior alternatives for face masks and be integrated into materials requiring regular decontamination, as well as potential water filtration systems.

Comprehensive Insights into Medicinal Research on Imidazole-Based Supramolecular Complexes

The electron-rich five-membered aromatic aza-heterocyclic imidazole, which contains two nitrogen atoms, is an important functional fragment widely present in a large number of biomolecules and medicinal drugs; its unique structure is beneficial to easily bind with various inorganic or organic ions and molecules through noncovalent interactions to form a variety of supramolecular complexes with broad medicinal potential, which is being paid an increasing amount of attention regarding more and more contributions to imidazole-based supramolecular complexes for possible medicinal application. This work gives systematical and comprehensive insights into medicinal research on imidazole-based supramolecular complexes, including anticancer, antibacterial, antifungal, antiparasitic, antidiabetic, antihypertensive, and anti-inflammatory aspects as well as ion receptors, imaging agents, and pathologic probes. The new trend of the foreseeable research in the near future toward imidazole-based supramolecular medicinal chemistry is also prospected. It is hoped that this work provides beneficial help for the rational design of imidazole-based drug molecules and supramolecular medicinal agents and more effective diagnostic agents and pathological probes.

Synthesis and Crystal Structure of a New Hydrated Benzimidazolium Salt Containing Spiro Structure

A new hydrated benzimidazolium salt containing spiro structure was obtained when benzimidazole is added to ethyl alcohol of 1,5-dioxaspiro[5.5]undecane-2,4-dione and trimethoxymethane. The title compound (C19H21O8) (C7H7N2) (0.5H2O) was characterized by elemental analysis, IR, UV-Vis, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The result shows that it belongs to the triclinic system, space group P-1, with a = 11.017(2) Å, b = 11.424(2) Å, c = 11.650(2) Å, α = 70.60(3)°, β = 71.00(3)°, γ = 67.64(3)°, Mr = 505.51, V = 1245.2(5) Å, Z = 2, Dc = 1.348 g/cm3, F(000) = 534, μ(MoKa) = 0.102 mm−1. There exist two types of hydrogen bonds in the crystal. (C19H21O8)− anions and (C7H7N2)+ cations are linked by N–H···O hydrogen bonds, while (C19H21O8)− anions and free water are linked by O–H···O hydrogen bonds. All of the above hydrogen bonds form a one-dimensional (1D)-chained structure. The 1D chains further links the molecule into a three-dimensional (3D)-layered structure.

A comparative insight into the bioactivity of mono- and binuclear silver(I)-N-heterocyclic carbene complexes: synthesis, lipophilicity and substituent effect

Silver(I)-N-heterocyclic carbene (Ag(I)-NHC) complexes of mononuclear and binuclear species, synthesised by our group and others in recent years, offer a fascinating outlook on their bioactivity. These complexes advance a range of adaptable structural patterns, leading to intra-specific variation in anticancer and antimicrobial activities. This study therefore reviews the synthesis, structural analysis and bioactivity of Ag complexes derived from mononuclear-NHC complexes either with coordinating or non-coordinating anions and binuclear NHC complexes. Specifically, the effect of stability, chain lengths and lipophilicity on the biological activity of recently reported Ag(I)-NHC complexes is reviewed. These complexes can be further explored as novel antibacterial and anticancer drugs in the nearest future.

Chlorido[1-phenyl-3-(2,3,5,6-tetra-methyl-benz-yl)benzimidazol-2-yl-idene]silver(I)

In the title compound, [AgCl(C₂₄H₂₄N₂)], the terminal phenyl and tetra­methyl­benzene rings [which form a dihedral angle of 87.92 (14)°] make dihedral angles of 59.59 (11) and 83.19 (12)° with respect to the central benzimidazole ring system. The Ag—C and Ag—Cl single-bond lengths are 2.087 (3) and 2.3267 (9) Å. The C—Ag—Cl bond angle is 172.84 (7)°. C—H⋯π inter­actions contribute to the stabilization of the crystal structure. A very weak π–π stacking inter­action between adjacent tetra­methyl­benzene rings [centroid–centroid distance = 4.0610 (18) Å] is also observed.