Comparative DNA binding and antioxidant studies of acetyl and benzoyl substituted ferrocene incorporated selenoureas

Abstract

In this article we have reported synthesis, chemical characterization (1H and 13C NMR, FTIR, CHNS, AAS), DNA binding (with cyclic voltammetry, UV-vis spectroscopy, viscometry and molecular docking) and antioxidant (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging) activities of two ferrocene incorporated selenoureas namely 1-benzoyl-3-(4-ferrocenylphenyl)selenourea (PB) and 1-acetyl-3-(4-ferrocenylphenyl)selenourea (PA). PA has a DNA binding constant value of 4.510 × 104 M−1 which is lower than DNA binding constant of PB (7.691 × 104 M−1). DNA binding constant was calculated by a decrease in the peak current of compound-DNA adduct relative to the free compound in cyclic voltammetry. Diffusion coefficient of free PA is 1.14 × 10−5 cm2 s−1 which is greater than diffusion coefficient of PA-DNA adduct (2.1 × 10−6 cm2 s−1) and same is the case with free PB (5.41 × 10−5 cm2 s−1) and PB-DNA adduct (4.57 × 10−5 cm2 s−1). IC50 value of PA (50 μM) was found lower than PB (130 μM) for DPPH scavenging.