Syntheses, crystal structures and cytotoxities of silver(I) complexes of 2,2 '-bipyridines and 1,10-phenanthroline

The syntheses, characterizations and in vitro cytotoxities of seven soluble silver(I) compounds (1-7) with 2, 2'-bipyridine (bpy), 5,5'-dimethyl-2, 2' -bipyridine (dmbpy) and 1, 10-phenanthroline (phen) are described. Two of t he complexes, [Ag(dmbpy)(NO3)(3)] (1) and [Ag(dmbpy)]ClO4(2), have been str ucturally established by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, which reveals th e silver(I) atom in compound 1 is in a Y-shape coordination geometry with t wo N atoms (av. Ag-N = 227.8 pm) from a chelate dmbpy ligand and an O atom (Ag-O= 221.8(4) pm) from a monodentate nitrate. The Ag(I) atom in compound 2 is three-coordinated by three N atoms, two of which are from a chelate dm bpy, and one from an acetonitrile ligand. The seven compounds showed strong cytotoxities in vitro to both normal and carcinoma cells.