Synthesis, X-ray crystal structure, anti-fungal and anti-cancer activity of [Ag2(NH3)2(salH)2] (salH2= salicylic acid)

[Ag-2(NH3)(2)(salH)(2)] (salH(2) = salicylic acid) was synthesised from salicylic acid and Ag2O in concentrated aqueous NH3 and the dimeric Ag(I) complex was characterised using X-ray crystallography. The complex is centrosymmetric with each metal coordinated to a salicylate carboxylate oxygen and to an ammonia nitrogen atom in an almost linear fashion. The two [Ag(NH3)(salH)] units in the complex are linked by an Ag-Ag bond. Whilst metal-free salH(2) did not prevent the growth of the fungal pathogen Candida albicans [Ag-2(NH3)(2)(salH)(2)], [Ag-2(salH)(2)] and some simple Ag(I) salts greatly inhibited cell reproduction. SalH(2), [Ag-2(NH3)(2)(salH)(2)] [Ag-2(salH)(2)] and AgClO4 produced a dose-dependent cytotoxic response against the three human derived cancer cell lines, Cal-27, Hep-G2 and A-498, with the Ag(I)-containing reagents being the most effective. (C) 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.