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 complexes of the type PhHgX] (X = butylxanthate (Buxant⁻), cyclohexylxanthate (Cyxant⁻), benzylxanthate (Bzxant⁻) or pyrrolidin‐1‐yldithiocarbamate (Pdtc⁻); (PhHg)₂X] (X = isomaleonitriledithiolate (i‐MNT²⁻) or 1‐ethoxycarbonyl‐1‐cyanoethylene‐2,2‐dithiolate (ecda²⁻); Ph₃SnX (X = Buxant⁻ or Pdtc⁻); (Ph₃Sn)₂(i‐MNT)] and Bu₂SnMNT] (MNT²⁻ = maleonitriledithiolate). These complexes have been characterized by elemental analysis, molar conductance measurements, IR, FT‐Raman, ¹H and ¹³C NMR and fast atom bombardment (FAB) mass spectra. Cyclic dimeric structures for phenylmercuryxanthates and monomeric structures for the remaining complexes are suggested. Antibacterial activities of the complexes and parent ligands have been screened against some well‐known pathogenic bacteria. Organomercury dithiolates have been found to be more potential antibacterial than organotin complexes. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.