Synthesis of 8‐hydroxyquinolium chloroacetate and synthesis of complexes derived from 8‐hydroxyquinoline,and characterization,density functional theory and biological studies

8‐Hydroxyquinolium chloroacetate ( L¹ ) was synthesized and characterized. The results suggest that L¹ loses ethyl chloroacetate ion on coordination at low pH (2–5) and consequently it behaves as 8‐hydoxyquinoline ( L² ). Cu²⁺, Co²⁺, Pt⁴⁺, Pd²⁺, Au³⁺, Ag⁺ and Nd³⁺ complexes derived from L² have been synthesized and characterized using spectral, magnetic and thermal measurements. L² acts as a neutral bidentate ligand in the case of Cu²⁺, Co²⁺, Pt⁴⁺, Pd²⁺ and Nd³⁺ complexes and as a mononegative bidentate ligand in the case of Au³⁺ and Ag⁺ complexes. Octahedral geometry is proposed for Cu²⁺, Co²⁺ (grey) and Pt⁴⁺ complexes and square‐planar for Co²⁺ (green), Pd²⁺ and Au³⁺ complexes. The bond lengths, bond angles, chemical reactivities, binding energies and dipole moments for all compounds were evaluated using density functional theory and molecular electrostatic potential for L¹ . Superoxide dismutase radical scavenger‐like activity and cytotoxic activity of the complexes towards HepG2 liver cancer cells has been screened. Cytotoxicity measurements show that Ag⁺ and Pd²⁺ complexes have the highest cytotoxic activity while L¹ , Cu²⁺, Co²⁺ (grey), Co²⁺ (green), Pt⁴⁺ and Nd³⁺ complexes have no cytotoxic activity. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.