Insight on thermal,spectral, magnetic and biological behaviour of new Ni(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II) complexes with a pentaazamacrocyclic ligand derived from nicotinamide

New species of type [MLCl₂]·nH₂O (M:Ni, n = 0; M:Cu, n = 1 and M:Zn, n = 0; L: 1,3,5,8,11-pentaazacyclotridecane-3-yl-(pyrid-3-yl)-methanone resulted by N,N’-bis(2-aminoethyl)ethane-1,2-diamine, nicotinamide and formaldehyde) were synthesised by one-pot condensation. Chemical analysis, ESI–MS, IR, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, UV–Vis–NIR, EPR spectroscopy as well as magnetic data at room temperature were used in order to characterise the compounds. The data provided by IR, ESI–MS and NMR spectra are consistent with the macrocycle formation. Electronic spectra indicate that both Ni(II) and Cu(II) adopt an octahedral stereochemistry data furthermore confirmed by magnetic moments and EPR spectrum at room temperature. The electrochemical behaviour of the compounds was investigated by cyclic voltammetry. Processes as water and chloride elimination as well as oxidative degradation of the macrocyclic ligand were observed by simultaneously TG–DTA measurements. The final residue as the most stable metallic oxide was identified by X-ray powder diffraction. The compound [CuLCl₂]·H₂O (2) exhibits fungicidal and anti-biofilm activity on Candida albicans strains. The complexes exhibit a low cytotoxicity on HEp 2 cells, except for Cu(II) species that induce the cellular cycle arrest in the G2/M phase.