DFT investigations of linear Zn3-type complex with compartmental N/O-donor Schiff base: Synthesis, characterizations, crystal structure, fluorescence and molecular docking

Abstract

A linear Zn(II) complex, [Zn3(LOMe-pn)2(ƞ1-NCS)2] (1) containing a N2O2O′2 donor Schiff base, (H2LOMe-pn = N, N-bis(3-methoxysalicylidene)-2, 2-dimethylpropane-1, 3 diamine) has been synthesized and structurally well characterized. SCXRD study reveals that in 1, the asymmetric section contains two identical discrete unit and each discrete unit contains three zinc metal ions (Zn1, Zn2 and Zn3) which are crystallographic independent, two deprotonated ligands [LOMe-pn]2- and [SCN−] ions which are linked with only terminal zinc ion in a η1 mode where terminal zinc atoms (Zn1/Zn3) are distorted square pyramidal while Zn2 is square antiprismatic. All computational calculations were performed by the DFT/M06 functional level and the 6-31G * basis set in the ground state. Complex optimized structure, HOMO-LUMO energy gap, Hirshfeld surface, MEP and NLO property was nicely explained with the help of DFT. Total dipole moment, average polarizability and first hyperpolarizability were calculated where α and βhyp values are well demonstrate the NLO property of complex (1). In addition, Bader’s “atoms-in-molecules” was analysed to delineate complex non-covalent interactions using the same level of theory. Experimental electronic spectra were explained using TD-DFT level of calculations with an IEFPCM solvent model. DMF solvent explore complex (1) is a fluorescent material with maximum emission at 479 nm at an excitation wavelength of 300 nm. Finally, molecular docking was executed with cytochrome P450 from B. megaterium and M. tuberculosis. Results of molecular docking and HOMO-LUMO energy gap can provide new insights in the development of antimycobacterial drugs and next-generation semiconductor devices.