A Schiff base ligand N-(2-hydroxylacetophenone)-3-oxapentane-1,5-diamine and its nickel(II) complex: synthesis, crystal structure, antioxidation, and DNA-binding properties

Abstract

A new Schiff base ligand N-(2-hydroxylacetophenone)-3-oxapentane-1,5-diamine (HL) and its Ni complex, [Ni2(L)2(NO3)2], have been synthesized and characterized by physicochemical and spectroscopic methods. The X-ray crystal structure of [Ni2(L)2(NO3)2] shows it to be a dinuclear 2:2 complex, in which each Ni(II) atom is in a distorted octahedral geometry. The two Ni(II) atoms are dibridged by two phenoxo ligands, forming a Ni2O2 parallelogram-type moiety. The interactions between free HL and the complex with calf thymus DNA have been investigated, and the binding constant and linear Stern–Volmer quenching constant suggest that the two compounds bind to DNA via the intercalation mode. The binding affinity of the complex was higher than that of HL. Antioxidant assays in vitro showed that the Ni(II) complex possesses significant antioxidant activity.