Synthesis, characterization, DNA binding/cleavage, and anticancer and antimicrobial activities: Nano‐sized Co(II) and Cd(II) complexes and their use as a precursor for CoO and CdO nanoparticles

Abstract

In the search of effective bioactive compounds, Co(II) (C1) and Cd(II) (C2) complexes of the type [M(FMAPIMP)(H2O)Cl].nH2O (where M = Co(II); n = 2, Cd(II); n = 3, and FMAPIMP = ligand[2‐((E)‐((2‐(((E)‐furan‐2‐ylmethylene)amino)phenyl)imino)methyl)phenol]) were synthesized and characterized using elemental analysis, UV–Vis., cyclic voltammetry, Fourier‐transform infrared (FT‐IR), nuclear magnetic resonance, and mass spectral studies. The thermal stability of nano‐sized Co(II) and Cd(II) complexes was studied using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Cobalt and cadmium oxides were synthesized using cobalt and cadmium nanoparticle (NP) structure Schiff base complexes as the raw material after calcination for 5 h at 600 °C. According to the results, Co(II) and Cd(II) complexes with mole ratio 1:1 of metal: H‐FMAPIMP which octahedral are the most probable geometry for it. On the contrary, synthesized C1 and C2 NPs were used as suitable precursors for the preparation of CoO and CdO NPs. The obtained NPs were characterized using FT‐IR, UV–Vis., TGA, powder X‐ray diffraction (PXRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and atomic force microscopy techniques. PXRD analysis revealed that the obtained oxides were crystalline and corresponded to CoO and CdO phases. Crystal size, shape, and morphology were determined using SEM and TEM. H‐FMAPIMP and its two complexes (C1 and C2) were tested against human ovarian cancer cell line (PA‐1). The synthesized Co(II) and Cd(II) complexes exhibited enhanced activity against the tested bacterial (Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia Coli) and fungal strains (Candida albicans and Aspergillus fumigatus) as compared to H‐FMAPIMP. The results of the DNA‐cleavage activity indicated that the ligand and its two complexes can cleave calf thymus‐DNA at different degrees. Further, antituberculosis activity was performed using microplate alamarBlue assay. Among all these synthesized compounds, C1 exhibited good cleaving ability compared to the newly synthesized C2. Finally, the geometry of H‐FMAPIMP and its Co(II) and Cd(II) complexes was optimized using molecular modeling.