420 new manganese tricarbonyl complexes were prepared through combinatorial synthesis and investigated for their antibacterial properties. 10 promising compounds were re-synthesized and fully characterised identifying a promising lead compound with high activity against Gram-positive bacteria and low toxicity against healthy cells.
Release of the CO-ligands at the bacterial membrane, thereby inhibiting cellular respiration was identified as a possible mode of action.

This work was carried out in the group of Dr. Angelo Frei.

References:

• M. Scaccaglia, G. Pelosi, S. Pienlli, A. Frei;
  "Discovery of Antibacterial Manganese(I) Tricarbonyl Complexes through Combinatorial Chemistry"
  ChemRxiv, 2023, preprint; doi:10.26434/chemrxiv-2023-r66jc-v2.