Crystal structure and antitumor activities of a dinuclear cobalt(II) complex based on meso-1,2,3,4-tetra(1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)butane

The [Co₂(tbb)Cl₄]?4DMF complex, where tbb is meso-1,2,3,4-tetra(1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)butane, is synthesized and characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction. For the complex: C₄₄H₅₄Co₂C_l4N₁₂O₄, M_r = 1074.65, monoclinic crystal system, space group P21/n, a = 9.2350(13) Å, b = 11.3566(15) Å, c = 23.879(3) Å, β = 90.547(2)°, V = 2504.3(6) ų, Z = 2, D_c = 1.425 g/cm³, λ = 0.71073 Å, μ(MoK_α) = = 0.929 mm^–1, F(000) = 1112, S = 1.047, R = 0.0765, and wR = 0.2110 for 13668 observed reflections with I > 2σ(I). It is a neutral dinuclear complex. One meso-1,2,3,4-tetra(1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)butane coordinates two cobalt(II) ions. Each cobalt(II) ion is formed by two tbb nitrogen atoms and two chloride ions. The antiproliferative activities of the complex are screened by MTT assay against Eca109 cancer cells. The complex exhibits inhibition on the growth of Eca109 cancer cells with IC₅₀ of 22.1±6.7 μM after 48 h treatment. The cobalt complex has potential application in treatment of Eca109 cancer. CCDC 1015791.