Molecular design, crystal structure, antimicrobial activity and reactivity of light-stable and water-soluble Ag–O bonding silver(I) complexes, dinuclear silver(I) N-acetylglycinate

The reaction in water of silver oxide with N-acetylglycine (H2acgly) possessing the partial structure, i.e. the Odouble bond; length as m-dashC–N–C–COOH moiety, afforded light-stable and water-soluble dinuclear silver(I) complex ∞{[Ag(Hacgly)]2} (complex 1). X-ray crystallography revealed that complex 1 in the solid state formed a ladder polymeric structure based on bis(carboxylato-O,O′)-bridged centrosymmetric Ag2O4 core, which was different from the two previously reported structures of silver(I) glycinate. Complex 1 which only comprises labile Ag–O bonding showed a wide range of antimicrobial activities against selected bacteria, yeasts and molds. Complex 1 can also work as an useful silver(I) precursor for novel silver(I) cluster synthesis.