Abstract
Manganese(II) acetate reacts with phthalic acid (phH2) to give [Mn(ph)]·0.5H2O (1). Reaction of 1 with 1,10-phenanthroline produces [Mn(ph)(phen)]·2H2O (2) and [Mn(ph)(phen)2(H2O)]·4H2O (3). Reaction of isophthalic acid (isophH2) with manganese(II) acetate results in the formation of [Mn(isoph)]·2H2O (4). The addition of the N,N-donor ligands 1,10-phenanthroline or 2,2'-bipyridine to 4 leads to the formation of [Mn2 (isoph)2(phen)3)]·4H2O (5), [(Mn(phen)2(H2O)2]2(isoph)2(phen)·12H2O (6) and {[Mn(isoph)(bipy)]4·2.75 biby}n (7), respectively. Molecular structures of 3, 6 and 7 were determined crystallographically. In 3 the phthalate ligand is bound to the manganese via just one of its carboxylate groups in a monodentate mode with the remaining coordination sites filled by four phenanthroline nitrogen and one water oxygen atoms. In 6 the isophthalates are uncoordinated with the octahedral manganese center ligated by two phenanthrolines and two waters. In 7 the Isophthalate ligands act as bridges resulting in a polymeric structure. One of the carboxylate groups is chelating a single manganese with the other binding two metal centres in a bridging bidentate mode. The phthalate and isophthalate complexes, the metal free ligands and a number of simple manganes salts were each tested for their ability, to inhibit the growth of Candida albicans. Only the “metal free” 1,10-phenanthroline and its manganese complexes were found to be active.