Synthesis, structural characterization and in vitro cytotoxicity and anti-bacterial activity of some copper(I) complexes with N,N′-disubstituted thioureas

A series of copper(I) complexes of N,N'-disubstituted thioureas, [C6H5CONHCSNHR]Cu(I)Cl where R=C6H5 (1a), 2-ClC6H4 (2a), 3-ClC6H4 (3a), 4-ClC6H4 (4a), 2,3-Cl2C6H3 (5a), 2,4-Cl2C6H3 (6a), 2,5-Cl2C6H3 (7a), 2,6-Cl2C6H3 (8a), 3,4-Cl2C6H3 (9a) and 3,5-Cl2C6H3 (10a) have been synthesized. These complexes (1a-10a) have been characterized by elemental analyses, IR, H-1 and C-13 NMR spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry and single crystal XRD for 1a and 8a, and for ligand 7. The X-ray crystal structures reveal that the complexes la and 8a are mononuclear in the solid state in which the copper atoms adopt a distorted tetrahedral geometry. In both the cases, the neutral N,N'-disubstituted thiourea ligands have been coordinated to the Cu(1) through the sulphur atom in a terminal mode. The complexes have been screened for their in vitro cytotoxic activity in human cell lines carcinomas A498 (Renal), EVSA-T (Breast), H226 (Lung), IGROV (Ovarian), M19 (Melanoma-Skin), MCF-7 (Breast) and WIDR (Colon). They show a moderate cytotoxicity against these seven human cancer cell lines comparable to that of the less active standard chemotherapeutic drugs used for comparison. They were also screened for their anti-bacterial activity and were found less active than the standard drug Imipenem. (C) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.