Two complexes (Cu, Zn) with 1,10-phenanthroline and a tridentate amino-Schiff-base: crystal structures, spectra, thermogravimetric analyses and superoxide dismutase activity

Two transition metal (Zn, Cu) complexes with a Schiff base (salicylideneglycine) and 1,10-phenanthroline: (C9H7NO3)Zn(C12H8N2)(H2O) (1) and (C9H7NO3)Cu(C12H8N2) (2) have been synthesized and characterized, including crystal structures, spectral characterization, thermogravimetric analyses and quantum chemistry calculations. X-ray crystallographic analysis shows the zinc to be six-coordinate mode, forming a slightly distorted octahedral geometry. The structure of 2 can be evaluated by the Addison distortion index ( = 0.17), which indicates that the coordination environment of Cu is distorted slightly from square pyramidal (SP). The superoxide dismutase mimetic activity of the complexes was investigated by NBT-illumination. Complex 2 (IC50 = 6.15 M) has better SOD-like activity than 1 (IC50 = 0.79 M), although the SOD-like activity for 2 is not higher than some reported, it shows the possibility of SOD-like activity for the complexes with this amino-Schiff-base ligand (salicylideneglycine).