Synthesis, Spectral, Electrochemical, Antimicrobial and DNA Binding/Cleavage Studies of Metal Complexes with Schiff Base of Fluoro Substituted Aniline

Abstract

A new series of Schiff base complexes of transition (Fe3+, Co2+, Ni2+, Cu2+ and Zn2+) metal were synthesized from 4-fluoroaniline and 2-thiophene carboxaldehyde and structurally characterized by spectroscopic techniques. The Schiff base is found to be a bidentate ligand and coordinates to the metal ion through azomethine nitrogen and sulphur atom of the thiophene ring. In fluorescence studies, an interaction of Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions with the ligand was also studied. The Schiff base and its transition metal complexes showed inhibition activity against Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli), Gram-negative bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and antifungal activity against Candida albicans.Electrochemical redox reactions of the metal complexes were analyzed by cyclic voltammetry. The DNA binding properties of the complexes with HS-DNA have been explored by electron absorption spectroscopy. The cleavage reaction of the synthesized ligand and its metal complexes was monitored by gel-electrophoresis method. The nuclease activity of the above metal(II) complexes shows that the Cu(II) complex can cleave DNA effectively than ligand and other metal complexes.