Ultrastable radical-doped coordination compounds with antimicrobial activity against antibiotic-resistant bacteria

Chem Commun (Camb). 2020 Nov 19;56(92):14353-14356. doi: 10.1039/d0cc06379g.

Abstract

In the present work, we have introduced a series of stable radical-doped coordination compounds composed of donor-acceptor structures and shown to produce organic radicals in situ as a result of unconventional lone pair-π interactions in ambient conditions. Inconspicuous lone pair-π and C-Hπ interactions were shown to play a key role in self-assembly as well as the charge transfer process, resulting in a long-lived charge-separated state able to generate organic radicals. The resultant species displayed broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, including against multi-drug-resistant bacteria. This study unveiled the promise of reactive organic radical-doped materials as a new platform for developing antimicrobial agents that can overcome antibiotic resistance.

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / chemistry*
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
  • Bacillus subtilis
  • Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial
  • Escherichia coli
  • Free Radicals / chemistry*
  • Metal-Organic Frameworks / chemistry*
  • Metal-Organic Frameworks / pharmacology
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Naphthalimides / chemistry*
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa
  • Semiconductors
  • Staphylococcus aureus
  • Structure-Activity Relationship

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Free Radicals
  • Metal-Organic Frameworks
  • Naphthalimides