No abstract

Abstract. Ethylenediamine (en.), putrescine (pu), diethylenetriamine (dien), dipropylenetriamine (dpta), spermidine (spmd) and their Cu 1 compounds as well as the Schiff bases with 2-furaldehyde (dienOO), 2-thiophenecarboxaldehyde (dienSS) and pyrrole-2-carboxaldehyde (dienNN) of dien and that of dpta with 2-thiophenecarboxaldehyde (dptaSS), were prepared and characterised. They were tested against Bacillus substilis, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Proteus vulgar& and Xanthomonas campestris as antibacterial reagents, the highest activity being exhibited by Cu(dptaSS)(NO3)2 complex, which acts as antibiotic. In the antiproliferative tests (vs. T47 D, L929 and BHK21/cl3 cell lines) the best results were obtained with Cu(dptaSS) 2+ and Cu(dienSS)2+. Electronic structure calculations gave for dptaSS and dienSS the higher negative charges on the N atoms. The counter-ions (Br, NO3 and SO4 z') play an important role by modulating the reagent's selectivity versus the bacteria [Gram(+) or Gram(-)], but they have no effect on the antiproliferative activity.