Copper(II) and silver(I) complexes with sulfamethizole: synthesis, spectroscopic characterization, ESI-QTOF mass spectrometric analysis, crystal structure and antibacterial activities

Abstract

A ternary copper(II) complex with sulfamethizole (SMZ, C9H10N4O2S2) and 1,10-phenantroline (phen), [Cu(SMZ)2(phen)], and a silver(I) complex with sulfamethizole, Ag-SMZ, are presented. Elemental analyses indicate a 2:1:1 SMZ/copper/phen composition for the [Cu(SMZ)2(phen)] complex and a 1:1 silver/SMZ composition for the Ag-SMZ complex. Mass spectrometric analyses permitted identifying the [Cu(SMZ)2(phen)+H]+ and [Ag(SMZ)+H]+ ions at m/z 782.0297 and m/z 378.9371, respectively, confirming the proposed compositions. Theoretical isotopic patterns match with the experimental ones for the copper and silver complexes. 1H and {15N,1H} HMBC nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and infrared (IR) spectroscopic measurements evidence the coordination of sulfamethizole to silver(I) by the SO2-N group, and indicate the participation of the 5-membered heterocyclic ring 5-methyl-1,3,4-thiadiazole in coordination. The [Cu(SMZ)2(phen)] crystal structure was determined by single crystal X-ray diffractometry, attesting the N-coordination of sulfamethizole to copper(II) by the nitrogen of the 5-methyl-1,3,4-thiadiazole heterocyclic ring. Electronic paramagnetic resonance (EPR) indicates a square pyramidal geometry around the copper(II) ion for the [Cu(SMZ)2(phen)] complex. Biological studies showed the antibacterial activity of the Ag-SMZ and [Cu(SMZ)2(phen)] complexes over Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Both complexes have shown to be more active against Gram-negative Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC bacterial strain, with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of 0.41 mmol L−1 for the silver(I) complex and 1.60 mmol L−1 for the copper(II) complex.