Synthesis and Antibacterial Activity Studies of the Conjugates of Curcumin with -Dodecaborate and Cobalt Bis(Dicarbollide) Boron Clusters.

A series of novel conjugates of cobalt bis(dicarbollide) and -dodecaborate with curcumin were synthesized by copper(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition. These conjugates were tested for antibacterial activity. It was shown that all derivatives are active when exposed to ATCC 10702 and are not active against Gram-negative microorganisms and at the maximum studied concentration of 1000 mg/L. The conjugate of alkynyl-curcumin with azide synthesized from the tetrahydropyran derivative of cobalt bis(dicarbollide) exhibited activity against Gram-positive microorganisms: ATCC 29213, ATCC 29212 and the clinical isolate MRSA 17, that surpassed curcumin by 2-4 times.