Synthetic,spectral as well as in vitro antimicrobial studies on some bismuth(III) bis(N,N‐dialkyldithiocarbamato) alkylenedithiophosphates

Mixed sulfur donor ligand complexes of the type bismuth(III) bis(N,N‐dialkyldithiocarbamato) alkylenedithiophosphate, R₂NCS₂]₂BiS₂POGO where R = CH₃ and C₂H₅; G = ‐CH₂‐C(C₂H₅)₂‐CH₂‐, ‐CH₂‐C(CH₃)₂‐CH₂‐, ‐CH(CH₃)‐CH(CH₃)‐ and ‐C(CH₃)₂‐C(CH₃)₂‐] were synthesized in 1:1 molar ratio of bismuth(III) bis(N,N‐dialkyldithiocarbamate) chloride and ammonium alkylenedithiophosphate in refluxing benzene and characterized by melting point, molecular weight determinations, elemental analysis (C, H, N, Bi and S) and spectral UV, IR,NMR (¹H,¹³C and ³¹P) and powder X ray diffraction] studies; all these studies were in good agreement with the synthesized complexes. These newly synthesized derivatives are yellow and brown colored solids and are soluble in common organic solvents like benzene, chloroform, dichloromethane and DMF. Based on the physicochemical and spectral studies, a tentative structure of these newly synthesized complexes was assigned and the average particle size of the synthesized complexes determined by powder XRD, showing that nano range polycrystalline particles were formed with a monoclinic crystal system. These complexes were also screened for their antimicrobial activities using the well diffusion method. The free ligands as well as their mixed metal complexes were tested in vitro against four bacterial strains: two Gram‐positive, Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 9144) (G⁺) and Bacillus subtilis (ATCC 6051), (G⁺) and two Gram‐negative, Escherichia coli (ATCC 9637) (G^?) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 25619) (G^?) to assess their antimicrobial properties. The results were indeed positive and exhibited good antibacterial effects. Chloroamphenicol used as a standard for comparison and synthesized complexes showed good antibacterial effects over chloroamphenicol. On the basis of these studies, the synthesized complexes help to understand the different structural and biological properties of main group elements with sulfur donor ligands. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.