Synthesis,characterization and comparative DNA interaction studies of new copper(II) and nickel(II) complexes containing mesalamine drug using molecular modeling and multispectroscopic methods

Complexes of copper(II) and nickel(II) containing the drug mesalamine (5-ASA) have been synthesized and characterized by FT-IR, mass and UV–vis spectra, elemental analysis, and theoretical methods. The binding interactions between mesalamine and its Cu(II) and Ni(II) complexes with calf thymus DNA (ct-DNA) were investigated using absorption, fluorescence emission and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopies, and viscosity measurements. Absorption spectra of 5-ASA, Cu(II) and Ni(II) complexes showed hypochromism. The calculated binding constants (K_b) obtained from UV–vis absorption studies were 1.27 × 10³, 1.6 × 10³, and 1.2 × 10⁴ M^?1 for 5-ASA, Cu(II) and Ni(II) complexes, respectively. The compounds induced detectable changes in the CD spectra of ct-DNA (B → A structural transition, B → C structural transition and stabilization of the right-handed B form, for mesalamine, Cu(II) and Ni(II) complexes, respectively). The competitive binding experiments with Hoechst 33258 indicated that 5-ASA and copper complex could interact as groove binders. Furthermore, Ni complex had no effect on the fluorescence intensity and peak position of MB-DNA system. Finally, the results obtained from experimental and molecular modeling showed that complexes bind to DNA via minor-groove binding.