Construction of copper halide networks within layered perovskites. Syntheses and characterization of new low-temperature copper oxyhalides

The construction of two-dimensional (2D) copper halide networks within a variety of perovskite hosts by a low-temperature topochemical method is demonstrated. Ion exchange between some layered perovskite oxides of the type A'[An - 1(M,M')nO3n + 1] (A' = alkali metal, H, NH4; A = alkaline earth, rare earth, or Bi; M,M' = Nb, Ta, Ti; n = 2, 3) with CuX2 (X = Cl, Br) results in the oxyhalides (CuX)[An - 1(M,M')nO3n + 1]. Rietveld refinements from X-ray powder diffraction data show that the structures of these new copper oxyhalides contain edge-sharing CuO2X4 octahedra sandwiched between the M/M'O6 octahedra of the perovskite slabs. The compounds are low-temperature phases that decompose well below 700 degrees C. The copper oxyhalides exhibit antiferromagnetic ordering resulting from the magnetic exchange interactions within the planar Cu-X networks.

Novel broad-spectrum metal-based antifungal agents. Correlations amongst the structural and biological properties of copper (II) 2-acetylpyridine N4-dialkylthiosemicarbazones

Copper(II) complexes of the type [Cu(L)X], where L = tridentate anion of 2-acetylpyridine N4-diethyl thiosemicarbazone and X = C1 or Br, were screened against seven fungal strains pathogenic to man viz. Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus fumigatus, Candida albicans, Cryptococcus neoformans, Tricophyton rubrum, Epidermophyton floccosum and Microsporum canis. The greater growth inhibition exhibited by the bromo complex can be explained on the basis of its lower Cu(II)/Cu(I) redox couple and greater covalent bonding. These compounds represent a novel class of metal-based antifungal agents which provide opportunities for a large number of synthetic variations for modulation of the activities.