Ag 2 (9-aca) 2 ] n and [Ag 4 (9-aca) 4 (NH 3 ) 2 ] (9-acaH = 9-anthracenecarboxylic acid) have been prepared and structurally characterized.[Ag 2 (9-aca) 2 ] n consists of polymeric ribbons of linked disilver(I) syn-syn bridged dicarboxylate units. [Ag 4 (9-aca) 4 (NH 3 ) 2 ] is tetrameric and centrosymmetric, with two syn-syn bridging carboxylates linked to the bimetallic Ag-Ag core and a further two syn-anti bridged carboxylate ligands in the equatorial plane, being coordinated to one Ag in the bimetallic core and to a second Ag, with the latter also bonded to an NH 3 ligand. In vitro studies show that both complexes are extremely cytotoxic against selected human fungal and bacterial pathogens, and each complex also greatly inhibits the growth of two mammalian cancer cell lines.