Synthesis of novel gold(I) complexes derived by AgCl-elimination between [AuCl(PPh3)] and silver(I) heterocyclic carboxylates, and their antimicrobial activities.: Molecular structure of [Au(R, S-Hpyrrld)(PPh3)] (H2pyrrld=2-pyrrolidone-5-carboxylic acid)

Novel gold(I) complexes with hard (O donor) and soft (P donor) Lewis bases, [Au(R,S-Hpyrrld)(PPh3)]1(.)CHCl(3) I (H(2)pyrrid = 2-pyrrolidonc-5-carboxylic acid) and [Au(R,S-othf)(PPh3)]A 2 (Hothf = 5-oxo-2-tetrahydrofurancarboxylic acid), were prepared by the AgCl elimination reaction in CHCl3 between [AuC(PPh3)] and the Ag-O bonding precursors such as [Ag-2(R-Hpyrrld)(S-Hpyrrld)] and [Ag-2(R-othf)(S-othf)]. Molecular structure of I was determined its it discrete monomer of the 2-coordinate AuOP core. In the preparation of I and 2, the use of the Ag-O bonding precursors is crucial. Both complexes 1 and 2 showed selective antimicrobial activities against Gram-positive bacteria and yeasts. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.