A CuAAC Click Approach for the Introduction of Bidentate Metal Complexes to a Sulfanilamide-Derived Antibiotic Fragment.

A simple “click-chemistry” approach was employed in order to functionalize the known antibiotic fragment sulfanilamide with a bidentate pyridyl-triazole pocket, which allowed for the synthesis of ruthenium(II) and rhenium(I) carbonyl chloride complexes. Six new complexes were prepared and comprehensively characterized, including five single crystal X-ray structures, photophysical characterization, and testing for antimicrobial activity. Interestingly, functionalization of the pyridine ring with an ortho-hydroxymethyl group resulted in a greater than 100-fold increase in the rate of ligand release in a dimethylsulfoxide solution. Subsequent studies indicated this process could be further accelerated by irradiation with 265 nm light. Structural characterization of four of the complexes indicates that this is the result of a lengthening and weakening of the Re–NPyridine bond (average (Ltri) = 2.19 A vs LtriOH = 2.25 A) due to the steric influence of the hydroxymethyl group. The organometallic rhenium(I) pyri...