Sulfasalazine (H3SAZ) is a sulfa drug used mainly as an anti-inflammatory agent in
the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease as well as for rheumatoid arthritis. Numerous
drugs possess modified pharmacological and toxicological properties when administered in
the form of metallic complexes. One of the most widely studied cation on this line is Cu(II),
since a host of low-molecular-weight copper complexes have been proven beneficial against
several diseases such as tuberculosis, rheumatoid, gastric ulcers, and cancers. Herein, we have
focused on interactions in the systems M–H3SAZ–bipyridine-like ligands (M=Mn(II), Fe(II),
Co(II), Cu(II), Zn(II) and Cd(II); bpy=4,4′-bipyridine, bpe=1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethane) yielded
the polymeric structures {[Cu5(43-OH)2(42-OH2)2(SO4)4(bpy)4]·3H2O}n (1) and
{[Cd(HSAZ)(bpe)]·0.5(HCOOH)}n (2) and one AB-type salt (bpeH2)[CoCl4]. No crystal
suitable for X-ray analysis were obtained for Mn(II), Fe(II) and Zn(II). Compound 1
represents 3D framework, while 2 is a laminar 2D solid (figure 1). Sulfasalazine-free
compound 1 crystallizes in the monoclinic P21/c space group, which contains pentanuclear
[Cu5(43-OH)2(42-OH2)2(SO4)2] cores bonded through SO4
2- anions and bpy ligands.
Compound 2 crystallizes in the centrosymmetric triclinic P-1 space group and each Cd(II)
coordinates two bridging bidentate HSAZ2- anions and two neutral bpe molecules with
distorted octahedral N4O2-coordination environment of Cd(II) atom. The sulfasalazine anions
coordinate in bidentate bridging mode via the carboxylic oxygen and pyridine nitrogen atoms
and are linked to the Cd(II) atoms in a double-stranded bridge fashion, which are then linked
by bpe ligands in a brick-wall laminar.

Figure. Fragments of crystal packing in (1) and coordination layer in (2).
Acknowledgements. A.V. & L.C. acknowledge the financial support from the Grant for Young Scientists
(16.80012.02.05F).