Nuclease activity and anti-proliferative effect on human cancerous cells of a newly synthesized and characterized mononuclear copper(II) complex [Cu-II(L)(fu)(2)] [L=2-(2-pyridyl)benzimidazole, fu = furoate]

A mononuclear copper(II) complex [Cu-II(L)(fu)(2)] (1) [L = 2-(2- pyridyl)benzimidazole, fu = furoate] has been synthesized and characterized by X-ray crystallography. Structural analysis reveals that 1 adopts a distorted square pyramidal geometry with CuN2O3 chromophore. Spectrophotometric and hydrodynamic investigations suggest that the complex binds with DNA in an intercalative mode with a binding constant of (3.19 +/- 0.32) x 10(4) M-1. 1 induces oxidative cleavage of the supercoiled DNA to its nicked circular as well as linear forms. 1 is also proved to be an anti-cancer agent on human keratinocyte cells.