Synthesis, DFT calculations, α‐glucosidase inhibitor activity, and docking studies on Schiff base metal complexes containing isothiocyanate

Abstract

Diabetes is one of the fastest growing global health crises of the 21st century. One of the current therapeutic approaches used in the treatment of diabetes involves the suppression of carbohydrate hydrolyzing enzymes such as α‐glucosidase. In this context, α‐glucosidase inhibitors are important in the treatment and prevention of diabetes. For this reason, new Schiff base complexes including isothiocyanate {[Cd(L1)2(NCS)2], (1), [Zn(L1)2(NCS)2], (2), [Cu(L1)2(NCS)2], (3), [Ag(L1)(NCS)2], (4), [Hg(L1)2(NCS)Cl], (5); L1: N‐(pyridin‐2‐ylmethylene)methanamine} were synthesized to investigate α‐glucosidase inhibitor potentials. The IC50 values of complexes 1–5 were found at 0.2376 ± 0.82 and 251.403 ± 2.54‐μM range. Among these complexes, complex 5 has the highest α‐glucosidase inhibitor property. The spectral investigations for the complexes 1/2–5 characterized by XRD/LC‐HRMS were performed by UV–Vis and FT–IR spectra. Furthermore, the TD‐DFT/DFT calculations were fulfilled by using CAM‐B3LYP and ωB97XD/6–311+G(d,p)//LanL2DZ levels to obtain optimum complex structures, spectral, linear and nonlinear optical properties for 1–5. According to obtained theoretical nonlinear optical results, complex 3 is a strong indicator in terms of microscopic nonlinear optical (NLO) properties. The docking studies of these complexes were examined to display the target protein interactions with these complexes.