Bismuth(III) α-hydroxy carboxylates: Highly selective toxicity of glycolates towards Leishmania major

Abstract

Eight bismuth(III) complexes derived from the simple α-hydroxycarboxylic acids; gluconic (H6-glu), tartaric (H4-tar), mandelic (H2-man), malic (H3-mal) and glycolic (H2-gly) have been synthesised and characterised. The complexes are formed through direct treatment of the organic acids with Bi(NO3)3·5H2O ([Bi(H2-tar)(H3-tar)] 2, [Bi(mal)(NO3)(H2O)2] 6, [Bi(gly)(NO3)(H2O)] 8) or Bi(O t Bu)3 ([Bi(H-tar)(H2O)2] 1, [Bi(man)(H-man)(H2O)] 4, [Bi2(H-mal)3] 5, [Bi(gly)(H-gly)] 7), or through metathesis of the sodium salts with Bi(NO3)3·5H2O ([Bi(H3-glu)] 3). Reactions with both glucuronic and mucic acid proved to be unsuccessful. Small crystals of [Bi(gly)4(NO3)4(H2O)4]·5H2O 8 were obtained from aque..