New Nanostructured Materials Based on Mesoporous Silica Loaded with Ru(II)/Ru(III) Complexes with Anticancer and Antimicrobial Properties

A new series of nanostructured materials was obtained by functionalization of SBA-15 mesoporous silica with Ru(II) and Ru(III) complexes bearing Schiff base ligands derived from salicylaldehyde and various amines (1,2-diaminocyclohexane, 1,2-phenylenediamine, ethylenediamine, 1,3-diamino-2-propanol, N,N-dimethylethylenediamine, 2-aminomethyl-pyridine, and 2-(2-aminoethyl)-pyridine). The incorporation of ruthenium complexes into the porous structure of SBA-15 and the structural, morphological, and textural features of the resulting nanostructured materials were investigated by FTIR, XPS, TG/DTA, zeta potential, SEM, and N₂ physisorption. The ruthenium complex-loaded SBA-15 silica samples were tested against A549 lung tumor cells and MRC-5 normal lung fibroblasts. A dose-dependent effect was observed, with the highest antitumoral efficiency being recorded for the material containing [Ru(Salen)(PPh₃)Cl] (50%/90% decrease in the A549 cells' viability at a concentration of 70 μg/mL/200 μg/mL after 24 h incubation). The other hybrid materials have also shown good cytotoxicity against cancer cells, depending on the ligand included in the ruthenium complex. The antibacterial assay revealed an inhibitory effect for all samples, the most active being those containing [Ru(Salen)(PPh₃)Cl], [Ru(Saldiam)(PPh₃)Cl], and [Ru(Salaepy)(PPh₃)Cl], especially against Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis Gram-positive strains. In conclusion, these nanostructured hybrid materials could represent valuable tools for the development of multi-pharmacologically active compounds with antiproliferative, antibacterial, and antibiofilm activity.

Enantiomeric pairs of copper(II) complexes with tridentate Schiff bases derived from R- and S-methionine: the role of decorating organic groups of the ligand in crystal packing and biological activity

Three enantiomeric pairs consisting of copper(II) complexes with tridentate Schiff bases have been synthesized for employing in biological assessments: 1∞[Cu₂(R/S-salmet)₂(H₂O)] (1-R/S·H2O), 1∞[Cu(R/S-3-HOMe-5-Me-salmet)] (2-R/S), and 1∞[Cu(R/S-3-MeO-salmet)] (3-R/S) (where R/S-salmetH₂, R/S-3-HOMe-5-Me-salmetH₂, and R/S-3-MeO-salmetH₂ result from the condensation of R/S-methionine with salicylaldehyde, 2-hydroxy-3-(hydroxymethyl)-5-methylbenzaldehyde, and 3-methoxy-salicylaldehyde, respectively, in a 1 : 1 molar ratio). The crystal structures of 1-R·H2O and 2-R/S are reported. Moreover, the 1-R/S·H2O enantiomers have been subjected to a single-crystal-to-single-crystal (SC-SC) transformation by heating at 160 °C to afford their dehydrated forms, 1∞[Cu₂(R/S-salmet)₂] (1-R/S), whose structures have also been crystallographically determined. The coordination polyhedra of the metal centers, the binding modes of the ligands, and the 1-D double chain assemblies generated by the chiral mononuclear units are comparatively described. The diffuse reflectance UV-Vis and circular dichroism (CD) spectra of compounds 1-R/S·H2O, 1-R/S, and 2-R/S are analysed with respect to their structural peculiarities and compared to those of 3-R/S. The UV-Vis and CD spectra of solutions of 1-R/S, 2-R/S, and 3-R/S point to the collapse of the double chains via dissolution. Biological tests performed on the model eukaryote Saccharomyces cerevisiae indicated low toxicity for 1-R/S, 2-R/S, and 3-R, and moderate toxicity for 3-S. The S-type complexes were accumulated by cells in higher quantity compared to their R-type counterparts due to selective transport via the high-affinity S-methionine transporter, Mup1. A chemogenomic analysis of 3-S toxicity performed on a collection of yeast knockout mutants revealed that most of the deleted genes identified in the screen were involved in the cell response to oxidative stress, calcium-mediated response, or metal homeostasis. Altogether, it was concluded that 3-S accumulation may perturb the redox state of the cell, also interfering with the calcium-mediated response to oxidative stress or metal-related oxidative stress.

Two different coordination modes of the Schiff base derived from ortho-vanillin and 2-(2-aminomethyl)pyridine in a mononuclear uranyl complex

This work describes the reaction of the potentially tetradentate Schiff-base ligand N-(2-pyridylmethy)-3-methoxysalicylaldimine (HL) with UO2(O2CMe)2·2H2O and UO2(NO3)2· 6H2O in MeOH in the absence or presence of an external base, respectively. The product from these reactions is the mononuclear complex [UO2(L)2] (1). Its structure has been determined by single-crystal, X-ray crystallography. The anionic ligand adopts two different coordination modes (1.1011, 1.1010; Harris notation) in the complex. The new compound was fully characterized by solid-state (IR, Raman and Photoluminescence spectroscopies) and solution (UV-Vis and 1H NMR spectra, conductivity measurements) techniques.

A naphthyl thiourea-based effective chemosensor for fluorescence detection of Ag+ and Zn2

A naphthyl thiourea-based effective chemosensor HNC, (E)-2-(2-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzylidene)-N-(naphthalen-1-yl)hydrazine-1-carbothioamide, was synthesized. HNC showed quick responses toward Ag⁺ and Zn²⁺ through marked fluorescence turn-on in different solvent conditions, respectively. Binding proportions of HNC to Ag⁺ and Zn²⁺ were found to be 2:1 and 1:1, respectively. Detection limits of HNC for Ag⁺ and Zn²⁺ were calculated as 3.82 and 0.21 μM. Binding processes of HNC for Ag⁺ and Zn²⁺ were represented using Job's plot, DFT, ¹ H NMR titration, and ESI-MS.

Compartmentalization of Alkaline-Earth Metals in Salen-Type Cu- and Ni-Complexes in Solution and in the Solid State

The precise arrangement of metal ions in type and number by a ligand represents an important challenge in biology as well as in materials science. The preorganization of different metal ions such as alkaline-earth and transition-metal ions is of particular interest for the design of catalysts or precursors of oxides. This study is based on a Ω-shaped salen-derived ligand comprising N2O2 and O2O2 coordination sites. The selective binding of Cu(II) and Ni(II) and alkaline-earth-metal ions is influenced by many factors such as the size of the cation, the solvent, or the counterion. UV-vis and 1H NMR titrations and single-crystal X-ray structures reveal that the obtained complexes tend to adopt different structures in solution compared to the solid state. Mainly discrete motifs with a stoichiometry 1:1 (LM1 to alkaline-earth-metal ions) have been shown to form in the solid state, whereas in solution, the 2:1 complexes are predominant.

Estimation of conventional C-Hπ (arene), unconventional C-Hπ (chelate) and C-Hπ (thiocyanate) interactions in hetero-nuclear nickel(ii)-cadmium(ii) complexes with a compartmental Schiff base

Three new heteronuclear nickel(ii)/cadmium(ii) complexes, [(SCN)(Cl)Cd(L)Ni(DMF)₂] (1), [(SCN)(CH₃CO₂)Cd(L)Ni(CH₃OH)₂] (2) and [(SCN)(Cl)Cd(L)Ni(NH₂CH₂CH₂CH₂NH₂)]_n (3) {where H₂L = N,N'-bis(3-ethoxy-salicylidene)propane-1,3-diamine is a N₂O₄ compartmental Schiff base}, have been synthesized and characterized. The structures of the complexes have been confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction studies. In each complex, nickel(ii) is placed in the inner N₂O₂ environment and cadmium(ii) is placed in the outer O₄ compartment of the compartmental Schiff base. Furthermore, the importance of unconventional C-Hπ (chelate) interactions in the solid state of both complexes and C-Hπ (thiocyanate) interaction in complex 2 has been described by means of DFT and MEP calculations and characterized using NCI plots. All complexes show photoluminescence at room temperature upon irradiation by ultraviolet light. The lifetimes of excited states are in the range of 2-6 ns.

Unusual undecanuclear heterobimetallic Zn4Ln7 (Ln = Gd, Dy) nano-sized clusters encapsulating two peroxide anions through spontaneous intake of dioxygen

Hetero-undecanuclear Zn₄Ln₇ clusters encapsulating two peroxide anions represent a rare example of a 3d-peroxo-Ln system and expand the scope of metal-peroxo complexes.

Two chiral alkanolamine Schiff base Cu(ii) complexes as potential anticancer agents: synthesis, structure, DNA/protein interactions, and cytotoxic activity

Two novel chiral copper complexes have been synthesized and expressed DNA/protein binding strength and substantial cytotoxic activity.

Isoskeletal Schiff base polynuclear coordination clusters: synthetic and theoretical aspects

This work addresses and enlightens synthetic aspects derived from our effort to systematically construct isoskeletal tetranuclear coordination clusters (CCs) of the general formula [TR₂Ln₂(LX)₄(NO₃)₂(solv)₂] possessing a specific defected dicubane topology.

Ligand-directed assembly of trinuclear and one-dimensional heterotrimetallic CuIILnIIIFeIIIcomplexes: unusual antiferromagnetic CuIIFeIIIcoupling via cyano bridges

Rare phenoxo- and cyano-bridged CuLnFe trinuclear complexes were prepared. The 1D Cu₂DyFe complex displays both single-chain magnetic properties and the intrachain Cu(ii)–Fe(iii) antiferromagnetic coupling.

Synthesis, crystal structure, photoluminescence property of a series of 3d-4f coordination supramolecular complexes

A series of 3d-4f heterobinuclear complexes were constructed by employing the 2,2'-bipy (2,2'-bipy=2,2'-bipyridine) ligand and corresponding metal ions (M(II)/Ln(III), M=Co(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II); Ln(III)=Nd(III), Sm(III), Eu(III) and Tb(III)). Elemental analyses, IR, UV-vis-NIR spectra, PXRD and single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis reveal that complexes 1-4, 5-8, and 9-12 are isomorphous, respectively. The zero-dimensional structures are further connected to 2D or 3D supramolecular network structures via extensive intermolecular hydrogen bonds. Luminescence studies for the heterobinuclear complexes containing Sm(III), Eu(III) and Tb(III) reveal that the chromophoric composed of Zn(II)/L may efficiently sensitize the luminescence of the rare earth cations which acts as an antenna, whereas the existence of Cu(II) leads to the quenching of the luminescence of Ln(III) ions.

The exceptionally rich coordination chemistry generated by Schiff-base ligands derived from o-vanillin

Recent and relevant examples of homo- and heterometallic complexes generated by Schiff base ligands derived from o-vanillin, as well as their properties, are discussed.

Cobalt(ii/iii), nickel(ii) and copper(ii) coordination clusters employing a monoanionic Schiff base ligand: synthetic, topological and computational mechanistic aspects

Nine coordination clusters (M = Co^II/III, Ni^II, Cu^II) using a monoanionic Schiff base ligand were synthesized and characterized. A series of transformations occur in the ligand in certain compounds.