title: Antimicrobial properties of highly fluorinated tris(pyrazolyl)borates.
abstract: Highly fluorinated tris(pyrazolyl)borates were tested for their antimicrobial activity against various bacterial species. Both the silver(I) tris(pyrazolyl)borate [HB(3,5-(CF(3))(2)Pz)(3)]Ag(THF) (THF=tetrahydrofuran) and the sodium analog [HB(3,5-(CF(3))(2)Pz)(3)]Na(THF) appeared highly effective at inhibiting the growth of two different species of Gram-positive bacteria (i.e. being 12 and 21 fold more effective, respectively, (on a molar basis, based on the minimum inhibitory concentrations) against Staphylococcus aureus than silver sulfadiazine, a currently used silver antimicrobial). This suggests that the ligand portion of these molecules is responsible for the observed high effectiveness against the Gram-positive species. Furthermore, it appeared that the fluorinated substituents on the tris(pyrazolyl)borate were important for this high level of growth inhibition. Against two species of Gram-negative bacteria, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the fluorinated silver(I) tris(pyrazolyl)borate exhibited a moderate level of growth inhibition (similar to that of silver sulfadiazine), while the sodium analog showed very little ability to inhibit growth, indicating that for the Gram-negative species, the apparent responsible antimicrobial portion is the silver ion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019, United States. lorivw@uta.edu
authors.forename: Lorraine G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: van Waasbergen
authors.forename: Irena
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Fajdetic
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fianchini
authors.forename: H V
authors.initials: HV
authors.lastname: Rasika Dias
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development; D001881:Borates / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D005461:Fluorine / Q000737:chemistry; D008024:Ligands; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D011720:Pyrazoles / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D012837:Silver Sulfadiazine / Q000494:pharmacology; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D001881:Borates; D008024:Ligands; D011720:Pyrazoles; C515919:hydrotris(pyrazolyl)borate; D005461:Fluorine; D012837:Silver Sulfadiazine