Synthesis, crystal structure and antifungal activity of a divalent cobalt(II) complex with uniconazole

Azole compounds have attracted commercial interest due to their high bactericidal and plant-growth-regulating activities. Uniconazole [or 1-(4-chlorophenyl)-4,4-dimethyl-2-(1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)pent-1-en-3-ol] is a highly active 1,2,4-triazole fungicide and plant-growth regulator with low toxicity. The pharmacological and toxicological properties of many drugs are modified by the formation of their metal complexes. Therefore, there is much interest in exploiting the coordination chemistry of triazole pesticides and their potential application in agriculture. However, reports of complexes of uniconazole are rare. A new cobalt(II) complex of uniconazole, namely dichloridotetrakis[1-(4-chlorophenyl)-4,4-dimethyl-2-(1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl-κN(4))pent-1-en-3-ol]cobalt(II), [CoCl2(C15H18ClN3O)4], was synthesized and structurally characterized by element analysis, IR spectrometry and X-ray single-crystal diffraction. The crystal structural analysis shows that the Co(II) atom is located on the inversion centre and is coordinated by four uniconazole and two chloride ligands, forming a distorted octahedral geometry. The hydroxy groups of an uniconazole ligands of adjacent molecules form hydrogen bonds with the axial chloride ligands, resulting in one-dimensional chains parallel to the a axis. The complex was analysed for its antifungal activity by the mycelial growth rate method. It was revealed that the antifungal effect of the title complex is more pronounced than the effect of fungicide uniconazole for Botryosphaeria ribis, Wheat gibberellic and Grape anthracnose.