Preparation, spectroscopic investigation and antibacterial activity of some organomercury(II) and organotin(IV) dithio complexes

Phenylmercuric acetate, triphenyltin chloride and dibutyltin chloride react with alkali-metal or ammonium salts of some 1,1- and 1,2-dithio ligands in appropriate molar ratios to yield a series of organometallic dithio comple xes of the type [PhHgX] (X=butylxanthate (Buxant(-)), cyclohexylxanthate (C yxant(-)), benzylxanthate (Bzxant(-)) or pyrrolidin-1-yldithiocarbamate (Pd tc(-)) [(PhHg)(2)X] (X=isomaleonitriledithiolate (i-MNT2-) or 1-ethoxycarbo nyl-1-cyanoethylene-2,2-dithiolate (ecda(2-)); Ph3SnX (X=Buxant(-) or Pdtc( -)); [(Ph3Sn)(2)(i-MNT)] and [Bu2SnMNT] (MNT2-=maleonitriledithiolate). The se complexes have been characterized by elemental analysis, molar conductan ce measurements, IR, FT-Raman, H-1 and C-13 NMR and fast atom bombardment ( FAB) mass spectra, Cyclic dimeric structures for phenylmercuryxanthates and monomeric structures for the remaining complexes are suggested. Antibacter ial activities of the complexes and parent ligands have been screened again st some well-known pathogenic bacteria. Organomercury dithiolates have been found to be more potential antibacterial than organotin complexes. Copyrig ht (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.