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.     

Metal‐based antitumor,cytotoxic and antimicrobial activity: pharmacological evaluation of Knoevenagel condensate β‐diketone Schiff base thiosemicarbazone Cu(II) and Zn(II) complexes

Knoevenagel condensate Schiff base ligands [L = 3‐cinnamalideneacetylacetone‐thiosemicarbazone (CAT)/3‐cinnama‐ lideneacetylacetoneethylthiosemicarbazone (CAET)/3‐cinnamalideneacetylacetonephenylthiosemicarbazone (CAPT)] and their copper/zinc complexes were synthesized. They were characterized by analytical and spectral techniques. From these data it was found that the ligands adopt square‐planar geometry on metalation with Cu²⁺ and Zn²⁺. To evaluate the antitumor and cytotoxic activity of the synthesized complexes in mice and human cancer cell lines, the antitumor activity of the complexes was evaluated against an Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) tumor model. The activity was assessed using survival time and short‐term in vitro cytotoxic activity. Oral administration of complexes (100 mg/kg) increased the survival time. The cytotoxic activity of complexes was evaluated using human breast cancer (MDA‐MB‐231), colon cancer (HCT‐116) and nonsmall lung cancer (NCI‐H‐23) cell lines. Both the complexes possessed significant antitumor and cytotoxic activity on EAC and human cancer cell lines. The in vitro antimicrobial screening effect of the investigated compounds was also tested against the various organisms by well diffusion method. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

稀土-全反式维甲酸-缬氨酸三元配合物的合成、表征及抗肿瘤活性检测

在无水乙醇介质中,合成了4种新型稀土三元固体配合物。 通过红外光谱、紫外光谱、元素分析和TG-DTA等技术手段测试,确定了配合物的化学组成为:REL₂L'·nH₂O (RE:Nd³⁺,Eu³⁺,La³⁺,Sc³⁺;L=全反式维甲酸;L'=L-缬氨酸)。 利用MTT测试法,检测了配合物对体外培养的人肝癌细胞HepG2、人肺癌细胞A549和人宫颈癌细胞Hela生长的影响。 结果表明,4种稀土配合物与稀土硝酸盐、配体全反式维甲酸和L-缬氨酸对3种癌细胞株的生长均有一定的抑制作用,但在一定的浓度范围内,三元固体配合物的抑制效果明显优于稀土硝酸盐和2种配体;稀土配合物对3种癌细胞株生长的抑制作用基本上随浓度的升高而增强,存在一定的时间依赖性和浓度依赖性。 为了进一步阐明抗肿瘤作用的原因,利用光谱方法和黏度法的手段,对配合物与DNA之间的相互作用方式做了考察,推测配合物抗肿瘤活性的起效与这种嵌入DNA双螺旋结构的作用方式有关。     

Redox active metal-induced oxidative stress in biological systems

A number of studies performed on biological systems have shown that redox-active metals such as iron and copper as well as other transition metals can undergo redox cycling reactions and produce reactive free radicals termed also reactive oxygen species (ROS) or reactive nitrogen species (RNS). The most representative examples of ROS and RNS are the superoxide anion radical and nitric oxide, respectively, both playing a dual role in biological systems. At low/moderate concentrations of ROS and RNS, they can be involved in many physiological roles such as defense against infectious agents, involvement in a number of cellular signaling pathways and other important biological processes. On the other hand, at high concentrations, ROS and RNS can be important mediators of damage to biomolecules involving DNA, membrane lipids, and proteins. One of the most damaging ROS occurring in biological systems is the hydroxyl radical formed via the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide catalyzed by traces of iron, copper and other metals (the Fenton reaction). The hydroxyl radical is known to react with the DNA molecule, forming 8-OH-Guanine adduct, which is a good biomarker of oxidative stress of an organism and a potential biomarker of carcinogenesis. This review discusses the role of iron and copper in uncontrolled formation of ROS leading to various human diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, and neurological disorders (Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease). A discussion is devoted to the various protective antioxidant networks against the deleterious action of free radicals. Metal-chelation therapy, which is a modern pharmacotherapy used to chelate redox-active metals and remove toxic metals from living systems to avoid metal poisoning, is also discussed.     

Lysosomal-targeted anticancer half-sandwich iridium(III) complexes modified with lonidamine amide derivatives

Ten half-sandwich iridium complexes containing lonidamine amide derivatives were synthesized and characterized. Unlike lonidamine, which acts on mitochondria, its iridium complexes successfully targeted lysosomes and induced lysosomal damage. Antiproliferation studies showed that most of the complexes have higher anticancer activity against A549 and HeLa cells than cisplatin. The antitumor activity of complex 6 is 2.69 times that of cisplatin against A549 cells. We also performed antitumor tests on ligands L₁ and L₅, and proved that they exhibit excellent antitumor activity only after binding to the metal center. The bovine serum albumin (BSA) binding test showed that the complexes had the ability to bind to BSA, and they interact with BSA by a static mechanism. The complexes can also cause changes in mitochondrial membrane potential and can produce active oxygen species better than active control. NADH/NAD⁺ transformation experiments were used to determine if the production of ROS was caused by the transformation of NADH/NAD⁺. We also explored the way that the complexes enter cells.     

稀土-全反式维甲酸-精氨酸三元配合物的合成、表征及抗肿瘤活性研究

合成了4种新型稀土三元固体配合物:REL2L′Cl·nH2O(RE:Nd3+、Eu3+、La3+、Sc3+;L=全反式维甲酸;L′=L-精氨酸阳离子),并对其进行红外光谱、紫外光谱、荧光光谱、元素分析和TG-DTA等测试。利用3-(4,5-二甲基噻唑-2)-2,5-二苯基四氮唑溴盐(MTT)测试方法,初步探讨了配合物对体外培养的人肝癌细胞HepG2、人肺癌细胞A549和人宫颈癌细胞Hela生长的影响。结果表明:4种稀土配合物和稀土硝酸盐、配体全反式维甲酸和L-精氨酸盐酸盐对3种癌细胞株的生长都有一定的抑制作用,但在一定的浓度范围内,三元固体配合物的抑制效果明显优于稀土硝酸盐和2种配体;稀土配合物对3种癌细胞株生长的抑制作用基本上随配合物浓度的增大而增强;在浓度为1 mmol·L-1时,4种配合物对3种肿瘤细胞的抑制率超过60%,ScL2L′Cl配合物表现出最强的作用,抑制率在80%以上。通过荧光,粘度和紫外光谱方法研究了配合物与药物靶分子DNA的相互作用,结果表明配合物与DNA以嵌入的方式相互作用,推测配合物抗肿瘤活性的起效与这种嵌入DNA双螺旋结构的作用方式有关     

Electrochemical and electrochromic properties of rare-earth metal diphthalocyanine complexes

The electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical properties of several new rare-earth metal diphthalocyanine complexes with different substituents containing both electron-withdrawing and -donating substituents in the phthalocyanine rings were studied. The influence of structural modification of the phthalocyanine complexes (viz., the nature of the central metal atom and substituents in the phthalocyanine rings and the number of phthalocyanine rings in the complexes) on the total number of redox transitions, their potentials, and spectral characteristics of anionic and cationic forms of the complexes was examined. The potentials of the first anodic and cathodic redox transitions of the diphthalocyanine complexes are in a good linear correlation with the ionic radii of lanthanides. The potentials of the observed redox transitions of the complexes under study correlate well with the sums of Hammett constants for the substituents and the minimum molecular electrostatic potential of the benzene rings in the phthalocyanine moiety, which serves as a measure of electron perturbations introduced by the substituents. The revealed regularities allow the prediction of the redox properties and structure of rare-earth element diphthalocyanine complexes, which are redox-active in a specified potential range.     

三价金配合物抗肿瘤活性研究*

三价金配合物具有潜在的抗肿瘤活性,是目前金属药物领域的研究热点。本文按配位原子的不同总结了稳定三价金配合物的结构特征,按其生物活性的构效关系、生物靶点和作用机制综述了三价金配合物抗肿瘤活性研究的最新成果：配体的结构特点以及离去基团对三价金配合物的体外细胞毒性影响较大;介绍了用于检测三价金配合物与可能的生物靶分子之间的相互作用的多种物理和生物学方法,重点关注了相互作用的模式,如嵌入/静电吸引/共价结合等,并解释了三价金配合物抗肿瘤活性的原因。最后提出了一些研究新思路,以期有助于设计得到靶标明确的具有良好药理活性的抗肿瘤药物。     

Palladium(II)-η3-Allyl Complexes Bearing N-Trifluoromethyl N-Heterocyclic Carbenes: A New Generation of Anticancer Agents that Restrain the Growth of High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer Tumoroids

The first palladium organometallic compounds bearing N-trifluoromethyl N-heterocyclic carbenes have been synthesized. These η³-allyl complexes are potent antiproliferative agents against different cancer lines (for the most part, IC₅₀ values fall in the range 0.02–0.5 μm ). By choosing 1,3,5-triaza-7-phosphaadamantane (PTA) as co-ligand, we can improve the selectivity toward tumor cells, whereas the introduction of 2-methyl substituents generally reduces the antitumor activity slightly. A series of biochemical assays, aimed at defining the cellular targets of these palladium complexes, has shown that mitochondria are damaged before DNA, thus revealing a behavior substantially different from that of cisplatin and its derivatives. We assume that the specific mechanism of action of these organometallic compounds involves nucleophilic attack on the η³-allyl fragment. The effectiveness of a representative complex, 4 c , was verified on ovarian cancer tumoroids derived from patients. The results are promising: unlike carboplatin, our compound turned out to be very active and showed a low toxicity toward normal liver organoids.     

Cu (II) tyrosinate complexes containing methyl substituted phenanthrolines: Synthesis,X‐ray crystal structures,biomolecular interactions,antioxidant activity,ROS generation and cytotoxicity

In this paper, three new copper (II) complexes, [Cu(4‐mphen)(tyr)(H₂O)]ClO₄ (1) , [Cu(5‐mphen)(tyr)(H₂O)]ClO₄·1.5H₂O (2) and [Cu (tmphen)(tyr)(NO₃)]0.5H₂O (3) (4‐mphen: 4‐methyl‐1,10‐phenanthroline, 5‐mphen: 5‐methyl‐1,10‐phenanthroline, tmphen: 3,4,7,8‐tetramethyl‐1,10‐phenanthroline and tyr: L‐tyrosine), were synthesized and characterized using elemental analyses, FT‐IR, ESI‐MS, cyclic voltammetry and single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction. It was found that the complexes adopt a distorted five‐coordinate square pyramidal geometry. The interaction of the three complexes with calf thymus DNA was also investigated using UV–visible absorption spectra, ethidium bromide and Hoechst 33258 displacement assay and thermal denaturation. The DNA cleavage activity of the complexes, monitored using gel electrophoresis, showed significant damage of the pUC19 plasmid DNA. Binding activity of bovine serum albumin (BSA) reveals that these complexes can strongly quench the fluorescence of BSA through a static quenching mechanism. The results suggested that interaction of the complexes with DNA occurred through a partial intercalation into the minor grooves of DNA. In addition, interaction of the complexes with bovine serum albumin quenched the fluorescence emission of the tryptophan residues of the protein binding constants and thermodynamic parameters were obtained from the fluorescence quenching experiments at different temperatures. Free radical scavenging activities of the complexes were determined by various in vitro assays such as 1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picryl‐hydrazyl free radicals (DPPH˙) and H₂O₂ scavenging methods. In addition, the cytotoxicity of these complexes in vitro on tumor cell lines (Caco‐2 and MCF‐7) was examined by XTT and showed better antitumor effect on the tested cells. ROS (reactive oxygen species) and comet experiments are consistent with each other and these complexes lead to DNA damage via the production of ROS. The effect of the hydrophobic properties of the synthesized complexes on DNA and BSA binding activities were discussed.     

Spectroscopic studies,Density Functional Theory calculations,and non-linear optical properties of binuclear Fe(III), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), and Zn(II) complexes of OONN Schiff base ligand

The binuclear complexes of Fe(III), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), and Zn(II) with 2-[3-(benzylideneamino)-2-(benzylidenehydrazono)-4-oxothiazolidin-5-yl] acetic acid ligand (HL) were prepared and their stoichiometry was determined by elemental analysis. The stereochemistry of the studied binuclear metal complexes was confirmed by analyzing their infrared spectra, ¹H NMR, and magnetic moment. Thermal decomposition studies of the binuclear complexes have been performed to demonstrate the status of water molecules present in these binuclear complexes and their general decomposition pattern. The equilibrium geometry of the ligand and its studied complexes were calculated using density function theory (DFT) calculations at the B3LYP/GENECP level of the theory. The results show that the ligand and its complexes are nonplanar structures as indicated from the values of the dihedral angles. Extent of distortion from regular geometry has been performed and discussed in terms of the values of the angles between the central metals and the coordinated sites. The E_HOMO and E_LUMO energies of the studied ligand and its complexes are used to calculate the global properties. The nonlinear optical parameters (NLO), anisotropy of the polarizibility (Δα), and the mean first-order hyperpolarizability (<β>) were calculated. The (<β>) values were compared with Urea as a reference molecule and the results of (<β>) values showed that the ligand and the studied complexes have good NLO behaviors.     

Characterization of new Co(II) complexes and photographic monitoring for their toxic impact on breast cancer cells according to simulation study

Five new nitrogen-rich ligands (thioanhydrides) were synthesized and fully characterized. Then, their corresponding Co(II) complexes were prepared and also elucidated by analytical and spectral conformational techniques. First of all, the mono-negative tri-dentate mode was proposed with all derivatives towards mono-nuclear central atom. According to ligand field transitions and magnetic susceptibility values, the square-planar as well as octahedral geometries were the forms suggested. The presence of water molecules was investigated thermally. For conformational implementation under optimal conditions, energy minimization was carried out and fundamental data were obtained and studied. In silico investigation was carried out using the MOE docking approach to predict the inhibition activity for the new compounds. The Co(II)– 3e complex played an excellent inhibitory role. After that and based on preliminary results, in vitro antitumor screening against MCF-7 cell line was conducted for all Co(II) complexes. The results were consistent with that for standard drug (doxorubicin), and the inhibition feature for the complexes was ranked. Through photographic monitoring, outstanding inhibition activity towards breast cancer spreading was recorded for the Co(II)– 3e complex, which coincides well with MOE docking data.     

Design and Synthesis of 2‐(5‐Phenylindol‐3‐yl)benzimidazole Derivatives with Antiproliferative Effects towards Triple‐Negative Breast Cancer Cells by Activation of ROS‐Mediated Mitochondria Dysfunction

Benzimidazole derivatives are widely studied because of their broad‐spectrum biological activity, such as antitumor properties and excellent fluorescence performance. Herein, two types of 2‐(5‐phenylindol‐3‐yl)benzimidazole derivatives ( 1 a – 1 h and 2 a – 2 e ) were rationally designed and synthesized. When these compounds were investigated in vitro anti‐screening assays, we found that all of them possessed antitumor effect, in particular compound 1 b , which showed an outstanding antiproliferative effect on MDA‐MB‐231 cells (IC₅₀≈2.6 μm ). A study of the drug action mechanisms in cells showed that the antitumor activity of the compounds is proportional to their lipophilicity and cellular uptake; the tested compounds all entered the lysosome of MDA‐MB‐231 cells and caused changes in the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and then caused mitochondrial damage. Apparent differences in the ROS levels for each compound suggest that the lethality of these compounds towards MDA‐MB‐231 cells is closely related to the ROS levels. Taken together, this study not only provides a theoretical basis for 2‐(5‐phenylindol‐3‐yl)benzimidazole anticarcinogens but also offers new thinking on the rational design of next‐generation antitumor benzimidazole derivatives.     

Synthesis,characterization and in vitro cytotoxicity of platinum(II) complexes of selenones [Pt(selenone)2Cl2]

Platinum(II) complexes with various selenones (L) having the general formula [PtL₂Cl₂] were prepared and characterized by elemental analysis and, IR and NMR (¹H, ¹³C, and ⁷⁷Se) spectroscopies. A decrease in the IR frequency of the >C=Se mode and an upfield shift in ¹³C NMR for the >C=Se resonance of selenones are consistent with their selenium coordination to platinum(II). The NMR data show that the complexes are stable in solution and do not undergo equilibration at 297 K. The geometrical structures of the complexes were predicted theoretically (with DFT method) using Gaussian09 program. DFT calculations predicted that the trans configurations were up to 1.7 kcal/mol more stable than the cis forms in gas phase, while in solution form the cis isomers were predicted to be more stable. The UV–vis spectra of the two complexes, 6 and 7 were also recorded at room temperature for 24 h and it was observed that the complexes were stable and did not undergo decomposition. The in vitro antitumor properties of the complexes as well as of cisplatin were evaluated on two human cancer cell lines, HeLa (cervical cancer cells) and MCF7 (breast cancer cells) using MTT assay. The results indicated that the prepared complexes exerted significant inhibition on the selected cancer cells.     

Mesomorphous Structure and Electrochemical Behavior of Polyelectrolyte-Ferrocenyl Surfactant Complexes

Redox-active polyelectrolyte-surfactant complexes (PSC) were prepared via the ionic self-assembly of sodium polyacrylate (PAAS) and ferrocenyl surfactant, n-alkyl (ferrocenylmethyl)ammonium bromide (Fcn, n = 8, 12, 16, where n is the carbon number of the alkyl chain), in solution. The obtained PAAS-Fcn complex exhibited crystalline and lamellar mesomorphous structure. Moreover, the ferrocenyl moieties formed H-aggregation in the solid complex as known from the blue shift in the ultraviolet-visible spectrum. Cyclic voltammogram (CV) measurements indicated that the reversibility of the electrode process became worse when the surfactant tail length increases because of the more ordered packing in the complex film formed by longer surfactant tails. The present results demonstrate that the electrochemical activity of the redox-active polyacrylate-ferrocenyl surfactant complex can be easily tuned by changing the surfactant tail length. Our work provides a simple and facile approach to the preparation of redox-active polymers with ordered mesomorphous structure by the ionic self-assembly.     

SYNTHESIS,PROPERTIES AND BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY OF RARE EARTH COMPLEXES OF 5-FLUOROURACIL-1-PROPIONIC ACID

Abstract

Seven new solid complexes of 5-fluorouracil-1-propionic acid with rare earth metals have been synthesized. Elemental analyses, molar conductance, TG-DTA, IR, UV-Vis, fluorescence, XPS and ¹H NMR spectra have been used to characterize these complexes. The general formula of the complexes is RE(FPA)₃. nH₂O where RE = Y(III), La(III), Pr(III), Sm(III), Eu(III), Dy(III), Er(III); n=3 or 5. Prooxidative and antitumor activity of these complexes was tested. The results showed that these complexes augment free radical generation; especially the Pr³+ complex which obviously increased the O₂ ^? and OH^? radicals. It was also found that La³+ and Y³+ complexes possess antitumor effects on human colon bladder HCT-B and human leukemia HL-60 cells in vitro.     

Synthesis and characterization studies of 3-formyl chromone Schiff base complexes and their application as antitumor,antioxidant and antimicrobial

A novel Schiff base namely (E)-3-((2,6-dihydroxypyrimidin-4-ylimino)methyl)-4H-chromen-4-one and its Co (II), N (II)i, Cu (II) and Cd (II) complexes have been synthesized and proved by elemental analysis, molar conductance, thermal analysis (TGA), Inductive Coupled plasma (ICP), magnetic moment measurements, X-ray powder diffraction, IR, EI-mass,¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR,UV–Vis. and ESR spectral studies. On the basis of these data, it is evident that the Schiff base acts as bidentate via oxygen atom of carbonyl group and azomethine nitrogen atom for Co (II) complex; monobasic bidentate ligand for Ni (II), Cu (II) and Cd (II) complexes via oxygen atom of hydroxyl group and nitrogen atom of pyrimidine ring. The results showed all complexes have octahedral geometry. The average particle size of the ligand and its complexes were found to be 1.010–0.343 nm. The pharmacological action (antioxidant, antimicrobial and anticancer) of the prepared compounds is studied. The antitumor activity of the ligand and its metal complexes is evaluated against human liver carcinoma (HEPG2) cell. The data displayed the Co (II) complexes strong cytotoxicity where IC₅₀ values of Co (II) complex and 5-fluorouracil (stander drug) are 9.33 and 7.86 μg/ml respectively. The Co (II) and Cd (II) complexes have antibacterial activity more than ampicillin (stander drug). The interaction of the synthesized compounds with calf-thymus DNA (CT-DNA) has been performed via absorption spectra and viscosity technique. The DNA- binding constants have been determined.     

Electrochemical Properties of Poly-o-Phenylenediamine Films in Solutions with Variable Concentration of Hydronium Ions

Electrochemical behavior of poly-o-phenylenediamine (PoPhD) films in lithium perchlorate and perchloric acid solutions of different pH and constant ionic strength is studied using cyclic voltammetry, low-amplitude chronoamperometry, chronopotentiometry, and faradaic-impedance spectroscopy. The experimental results point to the diffusion–migration kinetics of charge transfer processes in redox-active PoPhD films and show that two such processes occur during oxidation–reduction of PoPhD. The processes are separated most fully at low concentrations of hydronium ions. Effect of the electrode potential and electrolyte composition on these processes is examined. Different methods yield similar results and permit their more reliable interpretation.     

Nano‐synthesis and spectral,thermal, modeling,quantitative structure–activity relationship and docking studies of novel bioactive homo‐binuclear metal complexes derived from thiazole drug for therapeutic applications

Seven novel homo‐binuclear Cr(III), Fe(III), Cu(II), ZrO(II), Sn(II), Pb(II) and Ce(III) nanosized complexes of a thiazole drug (H₂L) were synthesized for chemotherapeutic applications. H₂L was prepared via a condensation reaction between 2‐(4‐aminobenzenesulfonamido)thiazole and 2‐hydroxybenzaldehyde. The structures of H₂L and its metal complexes were investigated by various means. These included microanalysis, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, Fourier transform infrared, UV–visible, electron spin resonance and mass spectroscopies, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), powder X‐ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and molar conductivity. The measurements revealed that H₂L coordinates with the metal ions through two chelating centers, indicating its behavior as a dibasic tetradentate ligand. The first center involves the nitrogen of azomethine (CH═N) and the α‐hydroxyl oxygen while the other center is the thiazole nitrogen and the sulfonamide oxygen. From spectroscopic and analytical data, the Cr(III), Fe(III) and Ce(III) complexes have octahedral geometries, whereas the Cu(II), ZrO(II), Sn(II) and Pb(II) complexes have tetrahedral geometries. TEM and XRD measurements unambiguously showed the nanometric particle sizes of the complexes. The activation thermo‐kinetic parameters, E*, ?H*, ?S* and ?G*, of the various decomposition steps of the complexes were determined mathematically from the TGA curves. Gaussian09 and quantitative structure–activity relationship modeling studies were utilized to verify the biological and structural feature relationships. Docking studies were performed to throw more light on the biological priority of the proposed drugs, using microorganism protein receptors. The antitumor and antimicrobial efficiencies of the H₂L drug and its complexes were determined to estimate their potential therapeutic utility. In general, the complexes showed greater antitumor and antimicrobial efficiencies than the H₂L drug. The Fe(III) complex exhibited efficient antimicrobial activities against Candida albicans and Staphylococcus aureus and its efficiency is equivalent to that of standard drugs. The Cu(II) complex showed the greatest cytotoxic activity towards HEPG2.     

Redox-active ligands as a challenge for electronic structure methods

To improve the catalytic activity of 3d transition metal catalysts, redox-active ligands are a promising tool. These ligands influence the oxidation state of the metal center as well as the ground spin-state and make the experimental determination of both properties challenging. Therefore, first-principles calculations, in particular employing density functional theory with a proper choice of exchange-correlation (xc) functional, are crucial. Common xc functionals were tested on a simple class of metal complexes: homoleptic, octahedral tris(diimine) iron(II) complexes. The spin-state energy splittings for most of these complexes showed the expected linear dependence on the amount of exact exchange included in the xc functionals. Even though varying redox-activity affects the electronic structure of the complexes considerably, the sensitivity of the spin-state energetics to the exact exchange admixture is surprisingly small. For iron(II) complexes with highly redox-active ligands and for a broad range of ligands in the reduced tris(diimine) iron(I) complexes, self-consistent field convergence to local minima was observed, which differ from the global minimum in the redox state of the ligand. This may also result in convergence to a molecular structure that corresponds to an energetically higher-lying local minimum. One criterion to detect such behavior is a change in the sign of the slope for the dependence of the spin-state energy splittings on the amount of exact exchange. We discuss possible protocols for dealing with such artifacts in cases in which a large number of calculations makes checking by hand unfeasible.