Synthesis, structure, DNA binding and cleavage ability of a new copper ciprofloxacin complex

The structure of 1 consists of [Cu(HCp)(phen)(H2O)]2+ (HCp is ciprofloxacin and phen is 1,10-phenanthroline), two acetates, and four free water molecules. In each cation, copper displays a distorted square pyramid, coordinated to ring 3-carboxylate and 4-oxo oxygen from HCp, two nitrogens from phen, and one water molecule. There are five water molecules in each discrete complex with one coordinated to Cu center, and the other four linked to each other by intermolecular hydrogen bonds. Two uncoordinated acetates make the compound neutral. The complex exhibits higher DNA binding compared to HCp at the same conditions by fluorescence and viscosity measurements. Combining its structure with the DNA-binding result, the binding mechanism may be explained by intercalation. Moreover, 1 shows significant cleavage of DNA in the presence of a reducing agent, such as ascorbate by gel electrophoresis using supercoiled pBR322 DNA in Tris-HCl buffer (pH 7.4). The complex also has a higher activity against Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative bacteria Klebsiella pneumoniae than HCp.