Structures and DNA-binding and cleavage properties of ternary copper(II) complexes of glycine with phenanthroline, bipyridine, and bipyridylamine

The crystal structures of the series of three complexes, Cu(Gly)(bpy)Cl].2H2O (1) (Gly=glycine; bpy=2,2'-bipyridine), Cu(Gly)(phen)Cl]2.7H2O (2) (phen=1,10-phenanthroline), and Cu(Gly)(bpa)(H2O)Cl] (3) (bpa=2,2'-bipyridylamine) were determined, and the coordination modes of Cu(II) ternary complexes were compared. The central Cu(II) atoms of complexes 1 and 3 have a similar distorted octahedral coordination geometry, while the Cu(II) atom of complex 2 has a distorted square pyramidal coordination. In all complexes, the aromatic heterocyclic compounds bpy, phen, and bpa, behave as a bidentate N,N' ligand, and Gly behaves as a bidentate N,O ligand. DNA-binding properties of the complexes to calf thymus (CT) DNA were studied by using the fluorescence method. Each of the complexes showed binding propensity to CT DNA with the relative order 2>3> or =1. DNA cleavage studies indicate that each of the complexes, especially 2, can cleave plasmid supercoiled pBR322 DNA in the presence of H2O2 and ascorbic acid with cleavage efficiency in the order 2>3 approximately 1. The degradation of the conformation of CT DNA by the complexes was also reflected in the decrease in the intensities of the characteristic CD bands with the relative order 2>3 approximately 1.