The antispermatogenic activity of some phenylbismuth(III) O,O′‐dialkyldithiophosphates

Ten dialkyldithiophosphate derivatives of phenylbismuth(III) of the type, Ph_(3–n)BiS(S)P(OR)₂]_n where n = 1; R = Me( 1 ), Et( 2 ), Pri( 3 ), Prⁿ( 4 ) and Buⁿ( 5 ); n = 2; R = Me( 6 ), Et( 7 ), Prⁱ( 8 ), Prⁿ( 9 ) and Buⁿ( 10 )] have been synthesized by the reactions of triphenylbismuth(III) with corresponding dialkyldithiophosphoric acids in 1:1 and 1:2 stoichiometric ratios, respectively, in stirred benzene solution. The newly synthesized brown colored compounds, 1–10 have been characterized by elemental analyses, molecular weight measurements, IR and NMR (¹H, ¹³C and ³¹P) spectral studies. The ligand diethyldithiophosphoric acid, (C₂H₅O)₂P(S)SH], and its organobismuth(III) derivatives, compounds 2 and 7 were administered to adult male rats by oral gavage at the dose of 25 mg per kg body weight per day, for 60 days, and their effects were evaluated and compared for changes in testicular morphology, circulatory concentrations of testosterone, FSH and LH, sperm dynamics, fertility index and testicular cell population dynamics. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.