Synthesis, Antioxidant Properties and Antiproliferative Activities of Tetrameric Copper and Copper‐Zinc Metal Complexes of Catecholamine Schiff Base Ligand

Abstract

Modulation of the intrinsic oxidative stress in invasive metastatic cancer cells using two superoxide dismutase mimicking conjugates of catecholamine Schiff base ligand 3‐[(2′–(2″ pyridylethyl)iminoethyl] benzene‐1,2 diol] (1) results in superior killing of malignant cells. The homometallic copper compound as well as its heterometallic copper‐zinc counterpart (3) are characterized by spectroscopic, electrochemical and magnetic susceptibility measurements where the latter shows remarkable SOD activity (IC50 = 0.94 µM) as well as a potent antiproliferative activity against estrogen independent breast (BT‐20) and androgen independent prostate cancer (PC‐3) cell lines. SD and RB would like to thank CSIR for SRF Fellowship. SBP would like to acknowledge help from Dr. B.L. Ramakrishna, Arizona State University, Tempe in magnetic and EPR measurements and their interpretations.