Synthesis, characterization, and evaluation of the antimicrobial potential of copper(II) coordination complexes with quinolone and p-xylenyl-linked quinolone ligands.

The antimicrobial properties of copper have been known to mankind since the ancient times. In a coordination chemistry approach to develop novel antimicrobial agents, the quinolone antimicrobial agents ciprofloxacin (Hcipro) and pipemidic acid (Hpia), as well as dimers thereof (piperazinyl-linked with a p-xylenyl moiety) were complexed with copper(II). The synthesis and antimicrobial evaluation of bis(ciprofloxacino)copper(II) [Cu(cipro)2 ], bis(pipemido)copper(II) [Cu(pia)2 ], and the corresponding dimer complexes, [Cu2 (ciproXcipro)2 ] and [Cu2 (piaXpia)2 ], are reported. No combinational or synergistic effect between copper(II) and the respective quinolone ligands was observed in vitro.