Synthesis and crystal structure of three silver(I) complexes with (S)-(+)-5-oxo-2-tetrahydrofurancarboxylic acid (S-Hothf) and its isomeric forms (R-Hothf and R,S-Hothf) showing wide spectra of effective antibacterial and antifungal activities. Chiral helical polymers in the solid state formed by self-assembly of the dimeric [Ag(othf)](2) cores

Three water-soluble silver(I) complexes, i.e., {[Ag(S-othf)](2)}(n) 1, {[Ag (R-othf)](2)}(n) 2 and {[Ag-2(R-othf)(S-othf)]}(n) 3 (S- and R-Hothf = (S)- (+)- and (R)-(-)-5-oxo-2-tetrahydrofurancarboxylic acid, respectively), sho wing effective antibacterial and antifungal activities, have been synthesiz ed and their crystal structures determined. Single-crystal X-ray analysis r evealed that 1 and 2 in the solid state are a left- and a right-handed chir al helical polymer, respectively, formed by self-assembly of non-centrosymm etric, bis-carboxylato-bridged bis(carboxylato-O,O')disilver dimers (Ag-Ag distances 2.822(1) Angstrom for 1 and 2.823(2) Angstrom for 2; O-Ag-O angle s 164.0(2), 155.2(2)degrees for 1 and 163.8(3), 154.5(3)degrees for 2). The helicity of 1 and 2 in the solid state is accomplished with a connection o f one oxo group in one dimeric core to one of the silver(I) centers of the adjacent dimeric unit and also with simultaneous connection of one of the c arboxylato oxygens to the silver(I) center of a different dimer. These bond ing modes are quite different from those of the stair-like polymer 3 formed by self-assembly of the dimeric core (Ag-Ag 2.781(1) Angstrom; O-Ag-O angl e 164.8(1)degrees). Crystals of 3 with achiral polymer structure were ident ical with those of 4 obtained from an aqueous solution containing equal amo unts of 1 and 2, evidencing the presence of a ligand replacement between 1 and 2 in aqueous solution. The complexes 1-3 have also been characterized b y elemental analysis, TG/DTA, FT-IR, and H-1 and C-13 NMR spectroscopies. T he wide spectra of effective antibacterial and antifungal activities observ ed in 1-3 suggested that the weaker silver(I)-O bonding properties play a k ey role in the antimicrobial activities.