Synthesis of novel Ag(I)-N-heterocyclic carbene complexes soluble in both water and dichloromethane and their antimicrobial studies

Abstract

The interaction of the benzimidazolium salt with Ag₂O in dichloromethane to prepare novel Ag(I)-N-heterocyclic carbene complexes has been carried out at room temperature for 48 h in the absence of light. The obtained complexes were identified and characterized by ¹H and ¹³C NMR, FT-IR and elemental analysis techniques. In addition, it has been found that some of the complexes are antimicrobially active and show higher activity than the free ligand. Probably metal chelation affects significantly the antimicrobial behavior of the ligands. The minimum inhibitory concentration of the complexes was determined. The results indicated that these complexes exhibit antimicrobial activity.

Keywords:

• Antimicrobial
• benzimidazolium salts
• N-heterocyclic carbenes
• silver-N-heterocyclic carbene complexes

Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge Qassim University, represented by the Deanship of Scientific Research, on the material support for this research under the number alrasscac 3931-alrasscac-2018-1-14-S during the academic year 1440/2019AD.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.