Copper(I) and silver(I) complexes of anthraldehyde thiosemicarbazone: synthesis, structure elucidation, in vitro anti-tuberculosis/cytotoxic activity and interactions with DNA/HSA

Dalton Trans. 2020 Dec 15;49(47):17350-17367. doi: 10.1039/d0dt03104f.

Abstract

A reaction of copper(i) halides (X = I, Br, Cl) and silver(i) halides with 9-anthraldehyde thiosemicarbazone (9-Hanttsc, H1L) and triphenylphosphine produced halogen-bridged dinuclear complexes, [M2(μ2-X)2(η1-S-9-Hanttsc)2(Ph3P)2] (M = Cu, X = Cl, 1; Br, 2; I, 3; M = Ag, X = Cl, 4; Br, 5). A similar reaction of 9-anthraldehyde-N1-methyl thiosemicarbazone (9-Hanttsc-N1-Me, H2L) with Ph3P and silver(i) halides yielded sulfur-bridged dimers, [Ag2X2(μ2-S-9-Hanttsc-N1-Me)2(Ph3P)2] (X = Cl, 9; Br, 10), however with copper(i) halides insoluble compounds were formed, which upon the addition of one extra mole of Ph3P gave mononuclear complexes of the formula [CuX(η1-S-9-Hanttsc-N1-Me)(Ph3P)2] (X = Cl, 6; Br, 7; I, 8). All of the complexes have been characterized by elemental analysis, NMR (1H, 13C) spectroscopy and single crystal X-ray crystallography (2, 5, 6, and 9). Both the ligands (H1L and H2L) and their complexes (1-10) were tested for their anti-tubercular and anticancer activities. The interactions of the ligands and their complexes (copper and silver) with calf thymus DNA (ct-DNA) and human serum albumin (HSA) were examined through UV-visible and fluorescence spectroscopy. Results showed that copper complex 2 displayed strong interactions with ct-DNA and HSA having binding constant values of 6.66 × 104 M-1 and 3.28 × 104 M-1, respectively, followed by silver complex 10 which gave binding constant values of 4.60 × 104 M-1 and 3.06 × 104 M-1, respectively. All of the complexes also showed good interactions with DNA in docking studies.

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemical synthesis
  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemistry
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Antitubercular Agents / chemical synthesis
  • Antitubercular Agents / chemistry
  • Antitubercular Agents / pharmacology*
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Coordination Complexes / chemical synthesis
  • Coordination Complexes / chemistry
  • Coordination Complexes / pharmacology*
  • Copper / chemistry
  • Copper / pharmacology
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor
  • Humans
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Structure
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / drug effects*
  • Silver / chemistry
  • Silver / pharmacology
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / drug therapy*

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Antitubercular Agents
  • Coordination Complexes
  • Silver
  • Copper