Coordination chemistry for antibacterial materials: a monolayer of a Cu(2+) 2,2'-bipyridine complex grafted on a glass surface.

A propyltrimethoxysilane-modified 2,2'-bipyridine ligand is synthesized and its acetonitrile solutions are used to prepare monolayers of the molecule on glass surfaces. Absorption and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy demonstrate that the modified glass surfaces bind Cu(2+) with a 1:1 ratio with respect to the 2,2'-bipyridine moieties under the chosen preparative conditions, producing materials bearing 0.016 μg cm(-2) of copper. Although in trace amounts, the bound Cu(2+) cations exert a significant microbicidal effect against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus.