Complex Formation Reactions of Promethazine Copper(II) and Various Biologically Relevant Ligands. Synthesis, Equilibrium Constants, Spectroscopic Characterization and Biological Activity

Abstract

Binary and ternary complexes of copper(II) involving promethazine, N,N-dimethyl-3-(phenothiazin-10-yl)propylamine (Prom) and various biologically relevant ligands containing different functional groups, were investigated. The ligands (L) are dicarboxylic acids, amino acids, amides and DNA constituents. The ternary complexes of amino acids, dicarboxylic acids or amides are formed by simultaneous reactions. The results showed the formation of Cu(Prom)(L) complexes with amino acids and dicarboxylic acids. The effect of chelate ring size of the dicarboxylic acid complexes on their stability constants was examined. Amides form both Cu(Prom)(L) complexes and the corresponding deprotonated species Cu(Prom)(LH−1). The ternary complexes of copper(II) with (Prom) and DNA are formed in a stepwise process, whereby binding of copper(II) to (Prom) is followed by ligation of the DNA components. DNA constituents form both 1:1 and 1:2 complexes with Cu(Prom)2+. The stability of these ternary complexes was quantitatively compared with their corresponding binary complexes in terms of the parameters Δlog10K. The values of Δlog10K indicate that the ternary complexes containing aromatic amino acids were significantly more stable than the complexes containing alkyl- and hydroxyalkyl-substituted amino acids. The concentration distribution of various complex species formed in solution was also evaluated as a function of pH. The solid complexes [Cu(Prom)L)] where L=1,1-cyclobutanedicarboxylic acid (CBDCA), oxalic and malonic acid were isolated and characterized by elemental analysis, infrared, TGA, and magnetic susceptibility measurements. Spectroscopic studies of the complexes revealed that the complexes exhibits square planar coordination with copper(II). The isolated solid complexes have been screened for their antimicrobial activities using the disc diffusion method against some selected bacteria and fungi. The activity data show that the metal complexes are found to have antibacterial and antifungal activity.