Lanthanide complex of 1-phenyl-3-methyl-5-hydroxypyrazole-4-carbaldehyde-(isonicotinoyl) hydrazone: crystal structure and DNA-binding properties

A Schiff-base ligand derived from 1-phenyl-3-methyl-4-formyl-2-pyrazolin-5-one (PMFP) and isoniazid was prepared and its La(III) complex was characterized by X-ray single crystal diffraction. The La(III) is nine-coordinate in a space group P2₁/n. DNA-binding was investigated by UV-Vis, fluorescence titration, ethidium bromide displacement experiments, and viscosity measurements, which indicated that the ligand and La(III) complex strongly binds to calf thymus DNA presumably via groove binding and intercalation. The intrinsic binding constants of the ligand and La(III) complex were 0.86?×?10⁵ and 2.46?×?10^5?mol?L^?1, respectively. Antioxidant data from hydroxyl radical scavenging experiments in vitro suggest that the La(III) complex possesses higher scavenging ratio than the free ligand, metallic salt, and some standard antioxidants like mannitol.