Studies on the synthesis, characterization and antimicrobial and antifertility aspects of sulfur donor ligands and their Al(III) and Ga(III) complexes

Abstract

The biologically important complexes of aluminium(III) and gallium(III) derived from 1-acetylferrocenehydrazinecarbothioamide (L 1 H) and 1-acetylferrocene carbodithioic acid (L 2 H) were prepared and investigated using a combination of microanalytical analysis, melting point, electronic, infrared, 1 H NMR and 13 C NMR spectral studies along with X-ray powder diffraction studies. Aluminium and gallium isopropoxides interact with the ligands in molar ratios of 1:1, 1:2 and 1:3 (metal:ligand), resulting in the formation of coloured products. The ligands are coordinated to aluminium(III) and gallium(III) via the azomethine nitrogen atom and the thiolic sulfur atom. On the basis of X-ray powder diffraction study, one of the representative gallium(III) complexes was found to have orthorhombic lattice, having the following lattice parameters: a = 8.9200, b = 14.6000 and c = 7.0000. On the basis of the above studies, for the aluminium(III) and gallium(III) complexes, pentacoordinated structure for 1:1 complex and hexacoordinated structure for 1:2 and 1:3 complexes were assigned. The antimicrobial activities of the ligands and complexes were screened in vitro against bacteria Pseudomonas cepacicola and Bacillus substilis and fungi Collectatrichum capsici and Fusarium oxysporum. The complexes have higher activities than the free ligands do. In vivo studies of the ligands and their corresponding complexes have also been carried out to assess their antifertility activity. The results of these activities indicate the antiandrogenic nature of these complexes. © 2013 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston.