LAUSR

Abstract The reaction of [(arene)MCl2]2 with pyridylpyrazolyl ligands (L1 and L2) in the presence of ammonium hexafluorophosphate leads to formation of cationic complexes having the general formula [(arene)M(L)Cl]PF6 {M = Ru, arene = p-cymene (1, 4); Cp*, M = Rh (2, 5); Cp*, M = Ir (3, 6); L = 2-(1H-pyrazol-1-yl)pyridine (L1), 2-(3,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrazol-1-yl)pyridine (L2)}. Similarly the reaction of [CpRu(PPh3)2Cl] and [(ind)Ru(PPh3)2Cl] (ind = η5-C9H7) with L1 and L2 yielded cationic complexes which have been formulated as [(Cp/ind)Ru(L)PPh3]PF6 (7–10). All these complexes were characterized by analytical and spectroscopic techniques. The pyridylpyrazolyl ligands coordinated metal through pyridyl and pyrazolyl nitrogens forming a six-membered metallacycle. The ligands as well as the complexes were evaluated for their in vitro antibacterial activity by agar well diffusion method against two Gram negative bacteria (Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and two Gram positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus thuriengiensis). Results show that the ligands and the complexes have significant antibacterial activity against Gram negative bacteria.