Crystal structures and DNA-binding properties of PrIII complexes derived from 8-hydroxyquinoline-2-carboxaldehyde and three aroylhydrazines

Pr^III and three synthesized ligands, 8-hydroxyquinoline-2-carboxaldehyde-(benzoyl)hydrazone, 8-hydroxyquinoline-2-carboxaldehyde-(2′-hydroxybenzoyl)hydrazone, and 8-hydroxyquinoline-2-carboxaldehyde-(isonicotinyl)hydrazone, respectively, can form binuclear Pr^III complexes with 1?:?1 metal-to-ligand stoichiometry and nine-coordination at Pr^III indicated by X-ray crystal structural analyses. Ligands are dibasic tetradentate, binding to Pr^III through the phenolate oxygen, nitrogen of quinolinato unit, the C=N of methylene, and ^–O–C=N– enolized and deprotonated from O=C–NH– of the aroylhydrazone side chain. One DMF binds orthogonally to the ligand plane from one side to the metal ion, while another DMF and a bidentate nitrate simultaneously bind from the other. Dimerization of the monomeric unit occurs through the phenolate oxygen leading to a central planar four-membered (PrO)₂ ring. The crystal structures are similar to each other and to other nine-coordinate lanthanide complexes with geometry of distorted edge-sharing mono-capped square-antiprism of LnL(NO₃)(DMF)₂]₂ (Ln = La^III, Nd^III, Sm^III, Eu^III, Tb^III, Dy^III, Ho^III, and Er^III) except for Yb^III with eight-coordinate Yb^III center with distorted edge-sharing dodecahedron of YbL(NO₃)(DMF)]₂, derived from 8-hydroxyquinoline-2-carboxaldehyde and aroylhydrazines. The ligands and Pr^III complexes can bind to calf thymus DNA through intercalation with binding constants at 10⁵ M^?1 and probably be used as potential antitumor drugs.