Picolyl and benzyl functionalized biphenyl NHC carbenes and their silver complexes: Sigma donating and antimicrobial properties

•Synthesis of picolyl and benzyl linked biphenyl silver NHC complexes•Sigma donating properties of the ligands were calculated by using proton coupled carbon NMR spectroscopy•All the silver NHC complexes were stable towards air and moisture•All the complexes were fully characterized by routine spectroscopic techniques.•All the ligands and silver NHC complexes were investigated for antimicrobial activity against the bacterials strains obtained from human clinical isolates