Macrocyclic Schiff base complexes as potent antimicrobial agents: Synthesis, characterization and biological studies

Novel tetraaza macrocyclic Schiff base complexes of bivalent zinc: microwave-assisted green synthesis, spectroscopic characterization, density functional theory calculations, molecular docking studies, in vitro antimicrobial and anticancer activities

In the present manuscript, novel macrocyclic Schiff base complexes [Zn(N4MacL1)Cl2-Zn(N4MacL3)Cl2] were synthesized by the reaction of ZnCl2 and macrocyclic ligands (N4MacL1-N4MacL3) derived from diketone and diamines under microwave irradiation method and conventional method. The structures of the obtained complexes were identified by various spectrometric methods such as Fourier transformation infra-red (FT-IR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), high-resolution mass spectrometry (HR-MS), powder X-ray diffraction, molar conductivity, and UV-vis. The structures of the synthesized compounds were optimized by using the def2-TZV/J and def2-SVP/J Coulomb fitting basis sets at B3LYP level in density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The macrocyclic Schiff base complexes exhibited higher activities against Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus), Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli and Xanthomonas campestris), and fungal strains (Fusarium oxysporum and Candida albicans) in comparison to macrocyclic Schiff base ligands. Furthermore, the newly synthesized macrocyclic compounds were assessed for their anticancer activity against three cell lines: A549 (human alveolar adenocarcinoma epithelial cell line), HT-29 (human colorectal adenocarcinoma cell line), and MCF-7 (human breast adenocarcinoma cell line) using the MTT assay. The obtained results showed that the macrocyclic complex [Zn(N4MacL3)Cl2] displayed the highest cytotoxic activity (2.23 ± 0.25 µM, 6.53 ± 0.28 µM, and 7.40 ± 0.45 µM for A549, HT-29, and MCF-7 cancer cell lines, respectively). Additionally, molecular docking investigations were conducted to elucidate potential molecular interactions between the synthesized macrocyclic compounds and target proteins. The results revealed a consistent agreement between the docking calculations and the experimental data.

Chalcones as potential pepsin inhibitors: Synthesis, characterization, DFT and molecular docking studies

Pepsin, a unique protease activity at acidic environment in the stomach, can cause chronic inflammation in surrounding tissues after becoming hyperactive lead to enlarged tonsils, vocal fold polyps, laryngopharyngeal cancers, and other diseases. Therefore, design and development of new effective pepsin inhibitors becomes significant. In the present work, we synthesized, and characterized thiophene-based chalcones as anti-pepsin agents. The synthesized chalcones exhibited significantly better pepsin inhibition than commercially available drugs omeprazole and pantoprazole. The in-vitro screening revealed that the synthesized compounds exhibited pepsin inhibition in the range of 53.19-91.14 % at 3 × 10-8 M concentration showing promising results controlling elevated pepsin levels. Compound 3p was found the best inhibitor with an IC50 value 1.02 × 10-9 M. Molecular docking studies executed show the decrease in energy of interaction between pepsin and the synthesized compounds 3(a-t) varies from -69.104 to -83.124 kcal/mol and the highest decreased interaction energy with compound 3p. DFT analyses were conducted to gain a deeper understanding of the structural parameters. Energy minimization and quantum chemical parameters computed using Avagadro and ORCA software indicated ΔE values in the range 9.593-10.246 eV as per DFT calculations. The results obtained from the in vitro studies were supported with in silico studies.

Anticancer, antimicrobial and photocatalytic activities of a new pyrazole containing thiosemicarbazone ligand and its Co(III) and Ni(II) complexes: Synthesis, spectroscopic characterization and X-ray crystallography

A new pyrazole based thiosemicarbazone ligand, 5-methyl-3-formylpyrazole-N(4)-isopropylthiosemicarbazone, (HMPzNHPri) (compound I), and its cobalt(III) and nickel(II) complexes, [Co(MPzNHPri)2]Cl (compound II) and [Ni(HMPzNHPri)2]Br2 (compound III), respectively, have been synthesized and characterized through various physico-chemical and spectroscopic studies. Both the reported Co(III) and Ni(II) complexes are cationic in nature and behave as 1:1 and 1:2 electrolytes in MeOH, respectively. Electronic spectral features of the complexes have classified them as distorted octahedral ones. IR spectral data (4000-450 cm-1) have suggested a monoprotic tridentate (NNS) function of compound I coordinating to the Co(III) ion via the pyrazolyl (tertiary) ring nitrogen, azomethine nitrogen and thiolato sulphur atom; while for compound III, compound I has been found to act as neutral NNS tridentate one, coordinating to Ni(II) via the pyrazolyl iminic nitrogen, azomethine nitrogen and thioketo sulphur. Structural features of all the compounds are confirmed by the single crystal X-ray data. All the compounds reported here have been found to exhibit significant photocatalytic activity towards degradation of Methylene Blue (MB) under UV radiation. Anticancer activity of all the three compounds against cancer cell lines (HeLa and A549) and a normal cell line (HEK293) have been investigated. Compound II has been found to be more efficient against the human cervical cancer cell (HeLa) and the lung cancer cell (A549) than compounds I and III. The ligand and both the complexes display potential activities against both gram-positive (Bacillus subtilis MTCC 7193) and gram-negative bacteria (E. coli MTCC 1610).

Antitumor and Antibacterial Activity of Ni(II), Cu(II), Ag(I), and Hg(II) Complexes with Ligand Derived from Thiosemicarbazones: Characterization and Theoretical Studies

Four new complexes (Ni2+, Cu2+, Ag+, and Hg2+) were prepared from the ligand N-(4-chlorophenyl)-2-(phenylglycyl)hydrazine-1-carbothioamide (H2L). Analytical and spectroscopic techniques were used to clarify the structural composition of the new chelates. In addition, all chelates were tested against bacterial strains and the HepG2 cell line to determine their antiseptic and carcinogenic properties. The Ni(II) complex was preferable to the other chelates. Molecular optimization revealed that H2L had the highest reactivity, followed by Hg-chelate, Ag-chelate, Ni-chelate, and Cu-chelate. Moreover, molecular docking was investigated against two different proteins: the ribosyltransferase enzyme (code: 3GEY) and the EGFR tyrosine kinase receptor (code: 1m17).

Physicochemical and Theoretical Characterization of a New Small Non-Metal Schiff Base with a Differential Antimicrobial Effect against Gram-Positive Bacteria

Searching for adequate and effective compounds displaying antimicrobial activities, especially against Gram-positive bacteria, is an important research area due to the high hospitalization and mortality rates of these bacterial infections in both the human and veterinary fields. In this work, we explored (E)-4-amino-3-((3,5-di-tert-butyl-2-hydroxybenzylidene)amino) benzoic acid (SB-1, harboring an intramolecular hydrogen bond) and (E)-2-((4-nitrobenzilidene)amino)aniline (SB-2), two Schiff bases derivatives. Results demonstrated that SB-1 showed an antibacterial activity determined by the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) against Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, and Bacillus cereus (Gram-positive bacteria involved in human and animal diseases such as skin infections, pneumonia, diarrheal syndrome, and urinary tract infections, among others), which was similar to that shown by the classical antibiotic chloramphenicol. By contrast, this compound showed no effect against Gram-negative bacteria (Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella enterica). Furthermore, we provide a comprehensive physicochemical and theoretical characterization of SB-1 (as well as several analyses for SB-2), including elemental analysis, ESMS, ¹H and ¹³C NMR (assigned by 1D and 2D techniques), DEPT, UV-Vis, FTIR, and cyclic voltammetry. We also performed a computational study through the DFT theory level, including geometry optimization, TD-DFT, NBO, and global and local reactivity analyses.

New Coordination Compounds of CuII with Schiff Base Ligands—Crystal Structure, Thermal, and Spectral Investigations

The new mono-, di- and tetranuclear coordination compounds [Cu(HL1)]·H2O (1), [Cu2(L1)(OAc)(MeOH)]·2H2O·MeOH (2), [Cu4(L2)2(OAc)2]·4MeOH (3), and [Cu4(L2)2(OAc)2]·4H2O·4MeOH (4) were synthesized by the direct reaction of 2,2′-{(2-hydroxypropane-1,3-diyl)bis[nitrilomethylidene]}bis(4-bromo-6-methoxyphenol) (H3L1) or 2,2′-{(2-hydroxypropane-1,3-diyl)bis(nitriloeth-1-yl-1-ylidene)}diphenol (H3L2) and the Cu(II) salt. They were characterized by elemental analysis, X-ray fluorescence (XRF), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, simultaneous thermal analysis and differential scanning calorimetry (TG/DSC), and thermal analysis coupled with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (TG-FTIR) techniques and the single crystal X-ray diffraction study. In the dinuclear complex 2, the copper(II) ions are bridged by an alkoxo- and a carboxylato bridges. The tetranuclear complexes 3 and 4 are formed from dinuclear species linkage through the phenoxo oxygen atoms of the fully deprotonated H3L2. Compounds 1–4 are stable at room temperature. During heating in air, at first, the solvent molecules (water and/or methanol) are lost and after that, the organic part undergoes defragmentation and combustion. The final decomposition solid product is CuO. The main gaseous products resulting from the thermal degradation of 1–4 in a nitrogen atmosphere were: H2O, MeOH, CH3COOH, CH4, C6H5OH, CO2, CO, and NH3.