Transition metal complexes of N′-(2-(hydroxyimino)propanoyl)isonicotinohydrazide: Synthesis, characterization, DNA interaction and anticancer evaluation

A new tetradentate chelating ligand, N'-(2-(hydroxyimino) propanoyl) isonicotinohydrazide and its selective transition metal complexes have been synthesized and evaluated for anticancer behavior. The ligand structure was determined by single-crystal X-ray crystallography. All complexes were investigated by elemental, thermogravimetric analysis, IR, NMR, ESI Mass and electronic spectroscopic studies. The ligand exhibited monoclinic lattice structure with Cc space group, having 4 ligand molecules in each unit cell. The geometrical isomerism (E and Z) was observed in ligand due to the restricted rotation along the >C@ N-functional group. The interaction of ligand and complexes with calf-thymus DNA (CT-DNA) has been extensively studied using absorption, emission, viscosity and thermal denaturation studies with E. coli DNA. The DNA cleavage properties were screened using plasmid pBR322 DNA by gel electrophoresis method. Complexes have been evaluated for their in vitro antiproliferative activity against human cancer cells of different origin such as MCF-7, Mia-Pa-Ca-2 and DU-145 by using SRB (sulforhodamine B) assay, in which iron complex have shown better antiproliferative activity compared to remaining complexes. (C) 2017 Published by Elsevier B.V.