Synthesis,characterization and antitumor activity of benzalde- hyde nitrogen mustard picolinoyl hydrazone complexes

CuII, NiII, CoII, ZnII and CdII complexes of picolinamido-4-bis(2-chloroethyl)aminobenzaldimine (PBAB) have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, conductivity, i.r. u.v.-vis. and e.p.r. spectra. The results suggest a square planar structure for the CuII complex, a tetrahedral geometry for the ZnII and CdII complexes and an octahedral structure for the CoII and NiII complexes. The complexes have been screened for antitumor activity against SMMC-7721 human liver cancer cell line; all of them exhibit biological activity at high concentrations for the cell line studied and a synergic effect between CuII and PBAB is evident.