Synthesis and biological study of a new series of bifunctional organoiron thio- and seleno-terephthalate derivatives (C5H5)Fe(CO)2ECO(C6H4)COX (E = S, X=R2N, RNH, NH2, OH, Cl; E = Se, X = RNH, RS, RCOO, NH2,OH, Cl)

A new series of bifunctional organoiron thio- and seleno-terephthalate complexes - (eta-C5H5)Fe(CO)(2)ECO(C6H4)COX [E = S; X = C6H11NH, (C2H5)(2)N; and E = Se; X = P - CH3 - C6H4 - NH, C6H5 - C2N2O - S, m - NO2 - C6H4-CH = CH - COO] - has been synthesized via the organic transformation reactions of the terephthaloyl chloride precursors eta-(C5H5)Fe(CO)(2)ECO(C6H4)COCl with the desired nucleophiles. These new complexes were characterized by elemental analysis, IR and H-1 NMR spectra. The above complexes, in addition to some other selected analogues, were tested for their antifungal, antibacterial and mutagenic activity. Our results show that all the selenium-containing compounds have antifungal activity on Candida albicans and antibacterial effects against Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus. Four of the six selenium-containing derivatives exhibited growth inhibitory effects against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and/or Escherichia coli. Sulfur-containing derivatives elicited activity against C albicans, and each one of them showed activity against at least one of the bacterial strains that have been used in this investigation. Two selenium-and two sulfur-containing derivatives showed mutagenic activity against one or more than one strain of the Salmonella typhimurium using the Ames test. Copyright (C) 2001 John Wiley Sons, Ltd.