Biological evaluation of copper(II) complexes on N(4)-substituted thiosemicarbazide derivatives and diimine co-ligands using DNA interaction, antibacterial and in vitro cytotoxicity

A number of alternatives were made to overcome numerous life-threatening infectious diseases by metal-based anticancer compounds. At present, thiosemicarbazones and their metal complexes have received significant consideration as a result of their metal DNA-interaction, structural diversity and availability of bonding modes. In this study, the coordination characteristics of nine diimine copper(II) complexes with sulfur containing ligands, [Cu(L)(2)] (1-3), [Cu(L)(bpy)]Cl (4-6) and [Cu(L)(phen)]Cl (7-9) (L = H(L1)-H(L3), phen = 1,10-phenanthroline, bpy = 2,2 '-bipyridyl, H(L1) = (Z)-2-((4-methoxynaphthalen-1-yl)methylene)-N-methylhydrazinecarbothioamide, H(L2) = (Z)-N-ethyl-2-((4-methoxynaphthalen-1-yl)methylene)hydrazinecarbothioamide and H(L3) = (Z)-2-((4-methoxynaphthalen-1-yl)methylene)-N-phenylhydrazinecarbothioamide] have been synthesized from 4-methoxy-1-naphthaldehyde along with N(4)-substituted thiosemicarbazide derivatives. The synthesized ligands and their Cu(II) complexes were characterized through different spectroscopic techniques and square-planar coordination was proposed. Biological evaluation such as DNA-cleavage, antibacterial and in vitro cytotoxicity of thiosemicarbazone ligands and their resultant Cu(II) complexes were analyzed. Interestingly, Cu(II) complex containing heteroaromatic moiety 9 had potential cytotoxic activity with strong DNA-interaction. In the future, these may be helpful to design more effective novel chemotherapeutic drugs.