Coordination polymer hydrogels through Ag(i)-mediated spontaneous self-assembly of unsubstituted nucleobases and their antimicrobial activity

Abstract

Spontaneous formation of metallogels through the self-assembly of unsubstituted nucleobases with Ag(i) ions is reported. Whereas adenine, cytosine, thymine and uracil form metallogels under deprotonated conditions with nanofibrillar morphology, gelation of guanine with Ag(i) occurs only under acidic conditions through the self-organization of nanoscale metal-organic particles. In situ reduction of Ag salts occurs in Ag-pyrimidine gels to yield Ag nanoparticles decorated on the gel nanofibers. The Ag-nucleobase hydrogels showed excellent antimicrobial properties against both Gram positive as well as Gram negative bacteria. © 2016 The Royal Society of Chemistry.