Synthesis and antimicrobial evaluation of coordination compounds containing 2,2′‐bis(3‐aminopyridyl) diselenide as ligand

The reaction between 2,2′‐bis(3‐aminopyridyl) diselenide (L) and metal transition salts results in the formation of molecular or cluster complexes. The structural elucidation of the synthesized complexes [CuCl2(L)] (1), [Cu(3‐NH2PySeO2)2]·2H2O (2), [Cu4(3‐NH2PySe)4]·dimethylformamide (3), [CoCl2(L)] (4), [ZnCl2(L)] (5), and [Ag6(3‐NH2PySe)6] (6) demonstrates the coordination of nitrogen atoms to CuII, CoII, and ZnII, and that of the selenium atoms to CuI and AgI, which agrees with Pearson’s hard and soft acids and bases (HSAB) theory. Furthermore, the oxidation of selenium with the formation of 3‐aminopyridylseleninate [3‐NH2PySeO2]− bonded to the copper atom was observed in complex 2. The antimicrobial action of complexes 1, 2, 4, and 5 was evaluated against Mycobacterium fortuitum, Mycobacterium massiliense, and Mycobacterium abscessus. It was observed that all these complexes have potential antimicrobial activity compared with the free ligand and metal salts used in the synthesis. Novel coordination compounds were obtained using 2,2′‐bis(3‐aminopyridyl) diselenide as ligand and d‐block metals such as CuII, CuI, CoII, ZnII, and AgI. The antimicrobial action of these compounds was evaluated.