Synthesis and Characterization of Water-Soluble Silver(I) Complexes with <scp>l</scp>-Histidine (H₂his) and (<i>S</i>)-(−)-2-Pyrrolidone-5-carboxylic Acid (H₂pyrrld) Showing a Wide Spectrum of Effective Antibacterial and Antifungal Activities. Crystal Structures of Chiral Helical Polymers [Ag(Hhis)]<i>_n</i> and {[Ag(Hpyrrld)]₂}<i>_n</i> in the Solid State

Abstract

Two water-soluble, silver(I) complexes showing a wide spectrum of effective antibacterial and antifungal activities, i.e., ([Ag(Hhis)].0.2EtOH)2 (1; H2his = L-histidine) and [Ag(Hpyrrld)]2 (3; H2pyrrld = (S)-(-)-2-pyrrolidone-5-carboxylic acid) were prepared. In aqueous solution 1 and 3 were present as dimers, whereas in the solid state they were polymers. Crystallization of 1 by slow evaporation and/or vapor diffusion gave water-insoluble crystals of [Ag(Hhis)]n (2) showing modest antimicrobial activities. The complex 1 in the solid state is a polymer formed by intermolecular hydrogen-bonding interactions between dimeric [Ag(Hhis)]2 cores, while 2 is a different polymer without a core complex. X-ray crystallography revealed that 2 was a left-handed helical polymer consisting of a bent, 2-coordinate silver(I) atom bonding to the Namino atom of one Hhis- ligand and the N pi atom of a different Hhis- ligand. Of particular note is the fact that Ocarboxyl atoms do not participate in the coordination. X-ray crystallography also revealed that 3 was a left-handed helical polymer formed by self-assembly of dimeric [Ag(Hpyrrld)]2 cores with an intramolecular metal(I)-metal(I) interaction (Ag-Ag distance, 2.9022(7) A). The FT-IR and the solid-state 13C and 15N NMR spectra showed that the dimeric core of 1 was formed through Ag-N bonds, while that of 3 was formed through Ag-O bonds. The molecular ions of 1 and 3 were detected by the positive-ion electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry. For 1-3, characterization by elemental analysis, TG/DTA, FT-IR, and variable-temperature solid-state 13C NMR and room-temperature 15N NMR measurements was performed, and for 1 and 3, that by solution molecular weight measurements and solution (109Ag, 1H, and 13C) NMR spectroscopies was also carried out. The antibacterial and antifungal activities of 1 and 3 were remarkable and comparable to those of the previous silver(I)-N-heterocycle complexes.