CHAPTER 7: Synthesis, Structure and Antimicrobial Activities of Polymeric and Nonpolymeric Silver and other Metal Complexes

In this chapter, we review recent reports of antimicrobial activities of the aqueous silver(I) ion and silver nanoparticles, plus the synthesis, X-ray structures and antimicrobial activities of polymeric and nonpolymeric silver(I) complexes. Herein, we focus on the antimicrobial activities of such silver materials and their mode of action. We also review the structure and antimicrobial activities of other polymeric and nonpolymeric metal complexes. The antimicrobial mechanism of the aqueous silver(I) ion is essentially different from that of silver(I)-sulfur-, nitrogen-, and phosphine-bonding complexes. As for the silver(I) complexes, the coordinating donor atoms significantly determine whether their antimicrobial spectrum is wide or narrow. This is ascribed to the ease of ligand exchange. Thus, by choosing the appropriate ligands it is possible to design silver(I) complexes that show only antibacterial activities, plus both antibacterial and antifungal activities. The antimicrobial behavior of the silver(I) complexes and other metal complexes is also essentially different, i.e. the antimicrobial mechanism is dependent on the metal centers of the complexes.