Binuclear Rhodium(II) Complexes With Selective Antibacterial Activity

Binuclear rhodium(II) complexes [Rh(2)Cl(2)(μ-OOCR)(2)(N-N)(2)] {R = H, Me; N-N = 2,2'-bipyridine (bpy), 1,10-phenanthroline (phen)} and [Rh(2)(μ-OOCR)(2)(N-N)(2)(H(2)O)(2)](RCOO)(2) (R = Me, Et;) have been synthesized and their structure and properties have been studied by electronic, IR and (1)H NMR spectroscopy. Antibacterial activity of these complexes against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus has been investigated. The most active antibacterial agents against E. coli were [Rh(2)Cl(2)(μ-OOCR)(2)(N-N)(2)] and [Rh(2)(μ-OOCR)(2)(N-N)(2)(H(2)O)(2)](RCOO)(2) {R = H and Me} which were considerably more active than the appropriate nitrogen ligands. The complexes show low activity against S. aureus. The activity of the complexes [Rh(2)(OOCR)(2)(N-N)(2)(H(2)O)(2)](OOCR)(2) against E. coli decreases in the series: R=H≅CH(3)>C(2)H(5)>C(3)H(7)≅C(4)H(9). The reverse order was found in the case of S. aureus.