Investigating chelating sulfonamides and their use in metalloproteinase inhibitors

Matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors (MMPi) utilize zinc-binding groups (ZBGs) to chelate the catalytic Zn(II) ion resulting in enzyme inhibition. Adapting findings from the literature of Zn(II) ion sensors, we previously reported chelating sulfonamide inhibitors of MMP-2, some of which showed excellent selectivity over other gelatinases (MMP-9). Herein, we greatly expand our investigation of chelating sulfonamides as MMP inhibitors (MMPi) with the synthesis and screening of several new libraries consisting of 2-phenyl-7-sulfonamidobenzimidazole, 2-phenyl-7-sulfonamidobenzoxazole, 7-sulfonamidobenzimidazole, 7-sulfonamidobenzoxazole, and 2-(2-sulfonamidophenyl)-quinoline ZBG derivatives. A novel microwave irradiation synthetic procedure was utilized to rapidly and efficiently prepare these molecules. To better understand the coordination chemistry underlying these ZBGs, crystal structures of representative molecules with several first row transition metals were determined and differences in coordination preferences were considered. Surprisingly, only compounds with the 2-phenyl-7-sulfonamidobenzimidazole ZBG showed inhibition of MMP-2, suggesting that the specific structure of the ZBG can have a pronounced effect of inhibitory activity.     

Comparative Study of Antioxidant and Pro-Oxidant Properties of Homoleptic and Heteroleptic Copper Complexes with Amino Acids,Dipeptides and 1,10-Phenanthroline: The Quest for Antitumor Compounds

In a search for new antitumoral agents, a series of homoleptic copper(II) complexes with amino acids and dipeptides, as well as heteroleptic complexes containing both dipeptides and 1,10-phenanthroline, were studied. Furthermore, a single-crystal structure containing alanyl-leucinato ([Cu₃(AlaLeu)₃(H₂O)₃(CO₃)]·PF₆·H₂O), which is the first homotrinuclear carbonato-bridged copper(II) complex with a dipeptide moiety, is presented. To assess possible antitumor action mechanisms, we focused on the comparative analysis of pro- and antioxidant behaviors. Pro-oxidant activity, in which the reactive oxygen species (ROS) formed by the reaction of the complexes with H₂O₂ produce oxidative damage to 2-deoxy-d-ribose, was evaluated using the TBARS method. Additionally, the antioxidant action was quantified through the superoxide dismutase (SOD)-like activity, using a protocol based on the inhibitory effect of SOD on the reduction of nitrobluetetrazolium (NBT) by the superoxide anion generated by the xanthine/xanthine oxidase system. Our findings show that Cu–amino acid complexes are strong ROS producers and moderate SOD mimics. Conversely, Cu–dipeptide–phen complexes are good SOD mimics but poor ROS producers. The activity of Cu–dipeptide complexes was strongly dependent on the dipeptide. A DFT computational analysis revealed that complexes with high SOD-like activity tend to display a large dipole moment and condensed-to-copper charge, softness and LUMO contribution. Moreover, good ROS producers have higher global hardness and copper electrophilicity, lower copper softness and flexible and freely accessible coordination polyhedra.     

Examination of novel zinc-binding groups for use in matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors

The tetrahedral zinc complex [(Tp(Ph,Me))ZnOH] (Tp(Ph,Me) = hydrotris(3,5-phenylmethylpyrazolyl)borate) was combined with 1-hydroxy-2(1H)-pyridinone, 3-hydroxy-2(1H)-pyridinone, 3-hydroxy-1-methyl-2(1H)-pyridinone, 3-hydroxy-1,2-dimethyl-4(1H)-pyridinone, 1-hydroxy-2(1H)-pyridinethione, and 3-hydroxy-2-methyl-4-pyrone to generate the complexes [(Tp(Ph,Me))Zn(ZBG)] (ZBG = zinc-binding group). These complexes were synthesized to explore the coordination geometry of potential novel zinc-binding groups for use in matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) inhibitors. The solid-state structures of all six metal complexes were determined by X-ray crystallography. These structures combined with IR and (1)H NMR data demonstrate that these ZBGs bind in a strong, bidentate fashion to the zinc(II) ion. Modeling studies indicate that these ZBGs can easily fit into the MMP active site. In an effort to develop more effective inhibitors of MMPs, this work has revealed molecular-level interactions for six potential new ZBGs.     

Triarylborane Dyes as a Novel Non-Covalent and Non-Inhibitive Fluorimetric Markers for DPP III Enzyme

Novel dyes were prepared by simple “click CuAAC” attachment of a triarylborane–alkyne to the azide side chain of an amino acid yielding triarylborane dye 1 which was conjugated with pyrene (dye 2) forming a triarylborane–pyrene FRET pair. In contrast to previous cationic triarylboranes, the novel neutral dyes interact only with proteins, while their affinity to DNA/RNA is completely abolished. Both the reference triarylborane amino acid and triarylborane–pyrene conjugate bind to BSA and the hDPP III enzyme with high affinities, exhibiting a strong (up to 100-fold) fluorescence increase, whereby the triarylborane–pyrene conjugate additionally retained FRET upon binding to the protein. Furthermore, the triarylborane dyes, upon binding to the hDPP III enzyme, did not impair its enzymatic activity under a wide range of experimental conditions, thus being the first non-covalent fluorimetric markers for hDPP III, also applicable during enzymatic reactions with hDPP III substrates.     

Evaluation of carbonic anhydrase and paraoxonase inhibition activities and molecular docking studies of highly water-soluble sulfonated phthalocyanines

The investigation of carbonic anhydrase and paraoxonase enzyme inhibition properties of water-soluble zinc and gallium phthalocyanine complexes ( 1 and 2 ) are reported for the first time. The binding of p-sulfonylphenoxy moieties to the phthalocyanine structure favors excellent solubilities in water, as well as providing an inhibition effect on carbonic anhydrase (CA) I and II isoenzymes and paraoxonase (PON1) enzyme. According to biological activity results, both complexes inhibited hCA I, hCA II, and PON1. Whereas 1 and 2 showed moderate hCA I and hCA II (off-target cytosolic isoforms) inhibitory activity (Ki values of 26.09 µM and 43.11 µM for hCA I and 30.95 µM and 33.19 µM for hCA II, respectively), they exhibited strong PON1 (associated with high-density lipoprotein [HDL]) inhibitory activity (Ki values of 0.37 µM and 0.27 µM, respectively). The inhibition kinetics were analyzed by Lineweaver–Burk double reciprocal plots. It revealed that 1 and 2 were noncompetitive inhibitors against PON1, hCA I, and hCA II. These complexes can be more advantageous than other synthetic CA and PON inhibitors due to their water solubility. Docking studies were carried out to examine the interactions between hCA I, hCA II, and PON1 inhibitors and metal complexes at a molecular level and to predict binding energies.     

Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of some 3d Metal Complexes with a Novel Heterocyclic Schiff Base

A heterocyclic Schiff base was prepared by condensing 3‐acetylcoumarin with 2‐amino‐3‐carboxyethyl‐4,5,6,7‐tetrahydrobenzo[b ]thiophene. Such Schiff bases derived from two different heterocyclic moieties are rare and expected to have properties surpassing those of either of the parent compounds in effectiveness of complex formation and biological activities. This ligand formed a series of complexes with manganese(II), cobalt(II), nickel(II), copper(II), and zinc(II) ions. The ligand and the metal complexes were characterized by various physicochemical and spectral studies. These included elemental analysis, molar conductance, magnetic susceptibility, as well as UV–vis, IR, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, and ESR spectral studies. The ESR spectral data adequately supported the covalent nature of the metal–ligand bonds. The ligand possessed a hexagonal crystal structure, but on complexation the crystallinity was lost. The fluorescence spectra of the ligand and its metal complexes in DMSO were also recorded. The ligand and the metal complexes were screened for their antimicrobial activities, and it was observed that the metal complexes are more active than the ligand. The α‐amylase inhibitory activity and the DNA cleavage activity of the ligand and the metal complexes were also examined. in vitro antitumor activity of the copper(II) complex was assayed against human cervical carcinoma cells (HeLa cell line), showing that the complex exhibited promising antitumor activity on the HeLa cell line.     

Spectral,biological screening,and DNA studies of metal chelates of 4-[N,N-bis-(3,5-dimethyl-pyrazolyl-1-methyl)]aminoantipyrine

Tridentate chelate complexes of Co(II), Ni(II), and Cu(II) have been synthesized from 4-[N,N-bis-(3,5-dimethyl-pyrazolyl-1-methyl)]aminoantipyrine. Microanalytical data, UV-Vis, magnetic susceptibility, Infrared, ¹H- ¹³C-NMR, mass, thermal gravimetric analysis and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) techniques were used to confirm the structures. The electronic absorption spectra and magnetic susceptibility measurements suggest a distorted octahedral geometry for the metal. EPR spectra of the copper(II) complex at 77?K confirm the distorted octahedral geometry of the copper(II) complex. The antimicrobial activities of the ligand and metal complexes against the bacteria such as Xanthomonas maltophilia, Chromobacterium violaceum, Acinetobacter, Staphylococci, Streptococci, and the fungus Candida albicans have been carried out. A comparative study of minimum inhibitory concentration values of the ligand and its metal complexes indicates that metal complexes exhibit higher antibacterial and antifungal activity than the free ligand. The electrochemical behavior of copper(II) complex was studied by cyclic voltammetry. The complexes show nuclease activity in the presence of oxidant.     

Synthesis and Structure of the Bis- and Tris-Polyhedral Hybrid Carboranoclathrochelates with Functionalizing Biorelevant Substituents—The Derivatives of Propargylamine Iron(II) Clathrochelates with Terminal Triple C≡C Bond(s)

A synthetic strategy for obtaining structurally flexible hybrid iron(II) carboranoclatrochelates functionalized with biorelevant groups, based on a combination of a 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction with nucleophilic substitution of an appropriate chloroclathrochelate precursor, was developed. In its first stage, a stepwise substitution of the dichloroclathrochelate precursor with amine N-nucleophiles of different natures in various solvents was performed. One of its two chlorine atoms with morpholine or diethylamine in dichloromethane gave reactive monohalogenoclathrochelate complexes functionalized with abiorelevant substituents. Further nucleophilic substitution of their remaining chlorine atoms with propargylamine in DMF led to morpholine- and diethylamine-functionalized monopropargylamine cage complexes, the molecules of which contain the single terminal C≡C bond. Their “click” 1,3-cycloaddition reactions in toluene with ortho-carborane-(1)-methylazide catalyzed by copper(II) acetate gave spacer-containing di- and tritopic iron(II) carboranoclatrochelates formed by a covalent linking between their different polyhedral(cage) fragments. The obtained complexes were characterized using elemental analysis, MALDI-TOF mass, UV-Vis, ¹H, ¹H{¹¹B}, ¹¹B, ¹¹B{¹H}, ¹⁹F{¹H} and ¹³C{¹H}-NMR spectra, and by a single crystal synchrotron X-ray diffraction experiment for the diethylamine-functionalized iron(II) carboranoclathrochelate. Its encapsulated iron(II) ion is situated almost in the center of the FeN₆-coordination polyhedron possessing a geometry intermediate between a trigonal prism and a trigonal antiprism with a distortion angle φ of approximately 28°. Conformation of this hybrid molecule is strongly affected by its intramolecular dihydrogen bonding: a flexibility of the carborane-terminated ribbed substituent allowed the formation of numerous C–H…H–B intramolecular interactions. The H(C) atom of this carborane core also forms the intermolecular C–H…F–B interaction with an adjacent carboranoclathrochelate molecule. The N–H…N intermolecular interaction between the diethylamine group of one hybrid molecule and the heterocyclic five-membered 1H-[1,2,3]-triazolyl fragment of the second molecule of this type caused formation of H-bonded carboranoclathrochelate dimers in the X-rayed crystal.     

GC-MS Metabolic Profile and α-Glucosidase-, α-Amylase-, Lipase-, and Acetylcholinesterase-Inhibitory Activities of Eight Peach Varieties

The inhibition of certain digestive enzymes by target food matrices represents a new approach in the treatment of socially significant diseases. Proving the ability of fruits to inhibit such enzymes can support the inclusion of specific varieties in the daily diets of patients with diabetes, obesity, Alzheimer’s disease, etc., providing them with much more than just valuable micro- and macromolecules. The current study aimed atidentifying and comparing the GC-MS metabolic profiles of eight peach varieties (“Filina”, “Ufo 4, “Gergana”, “Laskava”, “July Lady”, “Flat Queen”, “Evmolpiya”, and “Morsiani 90”) grown in Bulgaria (local and introduced) and to evaluate the inhibitory potential of their extracts towards α-glucosidase, α-amylase, lipase, and acetylcholinesterase. In order to confirm samples’ differences or similarities, principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) were also applied to the identified metabolites. The results provide important insights into the metabolomic profiles of the eight peach varieties and represent a first attempt to characterize the peels of the peach varieties with respect to α-glucosidase-, α-amylase-, lipase-, and acetylcholinesterase-inhibitory activities. All of the studied peach extracts displayed inhibitory activity towards α-glucosidase (IC₅₀: 125–757 mg/mL) and acetylcholinesterase (IC₅₀: 60–739 mg/mL), but none of them affected α-amylase activity. Five of the eight varieties showed inhibitory activity towards porcine pancreatic lipase (IC₅₀: 24–167 mg/mL). The obtained results validate the usefulness of peaches and nectarines as valuable sources of natural agents beneficial for human health, although further detailed investigation should be performed in order to thoroughly identify the enzyme inhibitors responsible for each activity.     

Crystal Structure of 2-pyridine-2-yl-3(pyridine-2-carboxylideneamino)quinazolin-4(3H)-one and its Ligating Diversity Towards Transition Metal(II) Ions

The synthesis of a new ligand 2-pyridine-2-yl-3(pyridine-2-carboxylideneamino)-quinazolin-4(3H)-one (PPCAQ) is described together with its manganese(II), cobalt(II), nickel(II), copper(II), zinc(II) and cadmium(II) complexes. The single crystal X-ray diffraction studies of the ligand reveal the presence of two crystallographically independent molecules in asymmetric unit cell, which exhibit N…N attractive interaction. The PPCAQ and its metal complexes were characterized by analytical, spectroscopic (i.r., n.m.r and u.v.–vis), magnetic moment, conductance and thermal studies. The i.r. spectral studies reveal the ligational diversity of the PPCAQ towards different metal ions as NNN donor in cobalt(II), copper(II), zinc(II) and cadmium(II) complexes and as ONN donor in manganese(II) and nickel(II) complexes. The antimicrobial activity of all the compounds was tested; copper(II), zinc(II) and cadmium(II) complexes show enhanced antibacterial activity compared to the free ligand.     

Polymer supported catalysts for oxidation of phenol and cyclohexene using hydrogen peroxide as oxidant

Polymer supported transition metal complexes of N,N′-bis (o-hydroxy acetophenone) hydrazine (HPHZ) Schiff base were prepared by anchoring its amino derivative Schiff base (AHPHZ) on cross-linked (6 wt%) polymer beads and then loading iron(III), copper(II) and zinc(II) ions in methanol. The loading of HPHZ Schiff base on polymer beads was 3.436 mmol g⁻¹ and efficiency of complexation of polymer anchored HPHZ Schiff base for iron(III), copper(II) and zinc(II) ions was 83.21, 83.40 and 83.17%, respectively. The efficiency of complexation of unsupported HPHZ Schiff base for these metal ions was lower than polymer supported HPHZ Schiff base. The structural information obtained by spectral, magnetic and elemental analysis has suggested octahedral and square planar geometry for iron(III) and copper(II) ions complexes, respectively, with paramagnetic behavior, but zinc(II) ions complexes were tetrahedral in shape with diamagnetic behavior. The complexation with metal ions has increased thermal stability of polymer anchored HPHZ Schiff base. The catalytic activity of unsupported and polymer supported HPHZ Schiff base complexes of metal ions was evaluated by studying the oxidation of phenol (Ph) and epoxidation of cyclohexene (CH). The polymer supported metal complexes showed better catalytic activity than unsupported metal complexes. The catalytic activity of metal complexes was optimum at a molar ratio of 1:1:1 of substrate to oxidant and catalyst. The selectivity for catechol (CTL) and epoxy cyclohexane (ECH) in oxidation of phenol and epoxidation of cyclohexene was better with polymer supported metal complexes in comparison to unsupported metal complexes. The energy of activation for oxidation of phenol (22.8 kJ mol⁻¹) and epoxidation of cyclohexene (8.9 kJ mol⁻¹) was lowest with polymer supported complexes of iron(III) ions than polymer supported Schiff base complexes of copper(II) and zinc(II) ions.     

Copper(II) and nickel(II) complexes of 2-formylpyridine 3-piperidinyl-, 3-hexamethyleneiminyl- and 3-azabicyclo[3.2.2]nonylthiosemicarbazones

Summary Copper(II) and nickel(II) complexes of 2-formylpyridine 3-piperidinyl-, 3-hexamethyleneiminyl- and 3-azabicyclo-[3.2.2]nonylthiosemicarbazones were prepared and characterized spectroscopically. ¹H and ¹³C n.m.r. spectra of the thiosemicarbazones and a diamagnetic nickel(II) complex are reported, together with i.r., electronic and e.s.r. spectra of the metal complexes. The thiosemicarbazones and their copper(II) and nickel(II) complexes exhibit considerable growth inhibitory activity against Paecilomyces variotii, but show minimal activity against Aspergillus niger.     

Chromone-based Schiff base metal complexes as catalysts for catechol oxidation: Synthesis,kinetics and electrochemical studies

Two new Schiff base ligands with chromone moiety and their transition metal complexes were synthesized and characterized by elemental analyses, magnetic susceptibility, molar conductance and TGA analyses, FT IR, UV-Vis, NMR and mass spectroscopy. All the complexes synthesized have been investigated as functional models for catechol oxidase (catecholase) activity by employing 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol as a model substrate. The two mononuclear copper(II) and two mononuclear iron(II) complexes show catecholase activity with turnover (k_cat) numbers lying in the range 27.2–1328.4 h^?1. According to the kinetic measurement results, the rate of catechol oxidation follows first order kinetics and iron(II) complexes were found to have higher catalytic activity than those of copper(II) complexes. Electron-donating substituent on Schiff base ligand enhanced the catalytic activity of metal complexes while the electron-withdrawing substituent led to a decrease in activity. The electrochemical properties of two Schiff bases and their metal complexes were also investigated by Cyclic Voltammetry (CV) using glassy carbon electrode (GCE) at various scan rates. Electrochemical processes of all the compounds were observed as irreversible.     

Mono-, di- and trinuclear copper(II) dioxime complexes; 3-{2-[2-(2-hydroxyimino-1-methylpropylideneamino)ethylamino]ethylimino}butan-2-one oxime

A new ligand incorporating a dioxime moiety, 3-{2-[2-(2-hydroxyimino-1-methylpropylideneamino)ethylamino]ethylimino}butan-2-one oxime, (H₂mdo), has been synthesized and its mono-, di- and trinuclear copper(II), and hetero-dinuclear copper(II)–manganese(II) complexes have been prepared and characterized by elemental analyses, magnetic moments, ¹H- and ¹³C-n.m.r., i.r. and mass spectral studies. A mononuclear copper(II) complex of H₂mdo was found to have a 1:1 metal:ligand ratio. Elemental analyses, stoichiometric and spectroscopic data of the metal complexes indicated that the metal ions are coordinated to the oxime and imine nitrogen atoms (C=N); the data support the proposed structure of H₂mdo and its complexes.     

A new binucleating ligand incorporating four oxime groups and its copper(II), manganese(II) and cobalt(III) complexes

A new binucleating ligand incorporating four oxime groups, butane-2,3-dione O-[4-aminooxy-2,3-bis-(2-hydroxyimino-1-methyl-propylideneaminooxymethyl)-but-2-enyl]-dioxime, (H₄mto), has been synthesized and its dinuclear cobalt(III), copper(II), and homo- and hetero-tetranuclear copper(II)–manganese(II) complexes have been prepared and characterized by ¹H- and ¹³C-n.m.r., i.r., magnetic moments and mass spectral studies. Elemental analyses, stoichiometric and spectroscopic data indicate that the metal ions in the complexes are coordinated to the oxime nitrogen atoms (C=N) and the data support the proposed structure for H₄mto and its complexes. Moreover, dinuclear cobalt(III) and copper(II) complexes of H₄mto have a 2:1 metal:ligand ratio.     

Spectroscopic, redox and biological activities of transition metal complexes with ons donor macrocyclic ligand derived from semicarbazide and thiodiglycolic acid

A novel macrocyclic Schiff base ligand (2,5,9,12,14,18-hexaoxo-7,16-dithia-1,3,4,10,11,13-hexaazacycloocta-decane (H6L) with N4S2 coordinating sites was prepared by the reaction of the semicarbazide and thiodiglycolic acid. The transition metal complexes with macrocyclic ligand were synthesized and characterized by elemental analyses, magnetic susceptibility measurements, molar conductance, IR, electronic, and EPR spectral studies. Mass, 1H NMR and IR spectral techniques suggest the structural features of macrocyclic ligand. Magnetic and electronic spectral studies suggest an octahedral geometry of complexes. Electrochemical behaviour of cobalt, nickel and copper complexes were determined by cyclic voltammetry. The cyclic voltammogram of the copper complex at room temperature shows a quasi-reversible peaks for Cu(III)-->Cu(II) and Cu(II)-->Cu(I) couples. The macrocyclic ligand and its complexes show growth inhibitory activity against pathogenic bacteria and plant pathogenic fungi A. niger, A. alternata and P. variotii. Most of the complexes have higher activities than that of free ligand.     

Synthesis and characterization of violurate-based Mn(II) and Cu(II) complexes nano-crystallites as DNA-binders and therapeutics agents against SARS-CoV-2 virus

Synthesis and structural characterization of nano crystallites of bis-violurate-based manganese(II) and copper(II) chelates is the subject of the present study. Analytical data and mass spectra as well as thermal analysis determined the molecular formulas of the present metal chelates. Spectroscopic and magnetic measurements assigned the structural formula of the present violurate metal complexes. The spectroscopic and magnetic investigations along with structural analysis results indicated the square planar geometry of both the Mn(II) and Cu(II) complexes. The structural analysis of the synthesized metal complexes was achieved by processing the PXRD data using specialized software Expo 2014. Spectrophotometeric and viscosity measurements showed that violuric acid and its Mn(II) and Cu(II) complexes successfully bind to DNA with intrinsic binding constants K_b from 38.2 × 10⁵ to 26.4 × 10⁶ M^?1. The antiviral activity study displayed that the inhibitory concentrations (IC₅₀) of SARS-CoV-2 by violuric acid and its Mn(II) and Cu(II) complexes are 84.01, 39.58 and 44.86 μM respectively. Molecular docking calculations were performed on the SARS-CoV-2 virus protein and the computed binding energy values are ?0.8, ?3.860 ?5.187 and ?4.790, kcal/mol for the native ligand, violuric acid and its Mn(II) and Cu(II) complexes respectively. Insights into the relationship between structures of the current compounds and their degree of reactivity are discussed.     

Synthesis and evaluation of guanidine-containing Schiff base copper(II), zinc(II), and iron(III) chelates as trypsin inhibitors

3-Formyl-4-hydroxyphenylguanidine hydrochloride and its Schiff base copper(II), zinc(II), and iron(III) chelates were synthesized and their inhibitory activity against bovine beta-trypsin were determined. Syntheses of Schiff base metal chelates were carried out from 3-formyl-4-hydroxyphenylguanidine, various L-amino acids, and divalent metal acetate. Their structures were established on the basis of spectroscopic evidence and elemental analysis. The inhibitory activity of these chelates against bovine beta-trypsin was determined. The guanidine-containing copper(II) and zinc(II) chelates behaved as potent competitive inhibitors of trypsin. However, similar inhibitory activity was not observed for guanidine-containing iron(III) chelates. The inhibition constants (K(i) values, ca. 10(-5) M) of guanidine-containing Schiff base copper(II) and zinc(II) chelates were slightly lower than those (ca. 10(-6) M) of the corresponding amidine-containing Schiff base chelates with regard to bovine trypsin.     

Synthesis,DFT Calculations,Antiproliferative, Bactericidal Activity and Molecular Docking of Novel Mixed-Ligand Salen/8-Hydroxyquinoline Metal Complexes

Despite the common use of salens and hydroxyquinolines as therapeutic and bioactive agents, their metal complexes are still under development. Here, we report the synthesis of novel mixed-ligand metal complexes (MSQ) comprising salen (S), derived from (2,2′-{1,2-ethanediylbis[nitrilo(E) methylylidene]}diphenol, and 8-hydroxyquinoline (Q) with Co(II), Ni(II), Cd(II), Al(III), and La(III). The structures and properties of these MSQ metal complexes were investigated using molar conductivity, melting point, FTIR, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, UV–VIS, mass spectra, and thermal analysis. Quantum calculation, analytical, and experimental measurements seem to suggest the proposed structure of the compounds and its uncommon monobasic tridentate binding mode of salen via phenolic oxygen, azomethine group, and the NH group. The general molecular formula of MSQ metal complexes is [M(S)(Q)(H₂O)] for M (II) = Co, Ni, and Cd or [M(S)(Q)(Cl)] and [M(S)(Q)(H₂O)]Cl for M(III) = La and Al, respectively. Importantly, all prepared metal complexes were evaluated for their antimicrobial and anticancer activities. The metal complexes exhibited high cytotoxic potency against human breast cancer (MDA-MB231) and liver cancer (Hep-G2) cell lines. Among all MSQ metal complexes, CoSQ and LaSQ produced IC₅₀ values (1.49 and 1.95 µM, respectively) that were comparable to that of cisplatin (1.55 µM) against Hep-G2 cells, whereas CdSQ and LaSQ had best potency against MDA-MB231 with IC₅₀ values of 1.95 and 1.43 µM, respectively. Furthermore, the metal complexes exhibited significant antimicrobial activities against a wide spectrum of both Gram-positive and -negative bacterial and fungal strains. The antibacterial and antifungal efficacies for the MSQ metal complexes, the free S and Q ligands, and the standard drugs gentamycin and ketoconazole decreased in the order AlSQ > LaSQ > CdSQ > gentamycin > NiSQ > CoSQ > Q > S for antibacterial activity, and for antifungal activity followed the trend of LaSQ > AlSQ > CdSQ > ketoconazole > NiSQ > CoSQ > Q > S. Molecular docking studies were performed to investigate the binding of the synthesized compounds with breast cancer oxidoreductase (PDB ID: 3HB5). According to the data obtained, the most probable coordination geometry is octahedral for all the metal complexes. The molecular and electronic structures of the metal complexes were optimized theoretically, and their quantum chemical parameters were calculated. PXRD results for the Cd(II) and La(III) metal complexes indicated that they were crystalline in nature.     

Modulation of amyloid-β aggregation by metal complexes with a dual binding mode and their delivery across the blood–brain barrier using focused ultrasound

One of the key hallmarks of Alzheimer''s disease is the aggregation of the amyloid-β peptide to form fibrils. Consequently, there has been great interest in studying molecules that can disrupt amyloid-β aggregation. While a handful of molecules have been shown to inhibit amyloid-β aggregation in vitro, there remains a lack of in vivo data reported due to their inability to cross the blood–brain barrier. Here, we investigate a series of new metal complexes for their ability to inhibit amyloid-β aggregation in vitro. We demonstrate that octahedral cobalt complexes with polyaromatic ligands have high inhibitory activity thanks to their dual binding mode involving π–π stacking and metal coordination to amyloid-β (confirmed via a range of spectroscopic and biophysical techniques). In addition to their high activity, these complexes are not cytotoxic to human neuroblastoma cells. Finally, we report for the first time that these metal complexes can be safely delivered across the blood–brain barrier to specific locations in the brains of mice using focused ultrasound.

We report a series of non-toxic cobalt(iii) complexes which inhibit Aβ peptide aggregation in vitro; these complexes can be safely delivered across the blood–brain barrier in mice using focused ultrasound.