Ligand Complexes Research Articles

Synthesis and characterization of rhenium and Technetium-99 m tricarbonyl and dicarbonyl complexes with quinaldic acid and Arsenic/Phosphorus derivatives

The synthesis and characterization of neutral tricarbonyl fac-[Re/99mTc(quin)(X)(CO)3] and dicarbonyl cis–trans-[Re/99mTc(quin)(X)2(CO)2] mixed ligand complexes with quinaldic acid (quin) as the bidentate ligand and trimethoxyphosphine [P(OCH3)3], tris(hydroxymethyl)-phosphine [P(CH2OH)3], triphenylphosphine (PPh3), and triphenylarsine (AsPh3) as the monodentate ligands (X) is described. The synthesis of the [2 + 1] tricarbonyl complexes proceeds by displacement of the water molecule of the fac-[Re/99mTc(quin)(H2O)(CO)3] by the monodentate ligand. Interestingly, the synthesis of the [2 + 1 + 1] dicarbonyl complexes was achieved only for PPh3 after replacing the CO group trans to PPh3 with a second PPh3 molecule. The latter complex was also obtained by refluxing quinaldic acid with the trans-mer-[Re(PPh3)2(Cl)(CO)3] precursor in toluene. Rhenium complexes were prepared in satisfactory yields and fully characterized. At the technetium-99 m level, complexes were produced in high radiochemical yields and characterized by comparative chromatographic analysis using the analogous rhenium complexes. Complexes have shown varying stability against transchelation by cysteine and histidine in agreement with the decreasing σ-donating capacity of the monodentate ligand (P(OCH3)3 > P(CH2OH)3 > PPh3 > AsPh3. The stable complexes with PPh3 showed high lipophilicity (LogP 2.90 and 3.10, respectively) due to the lipophilic nature of the monodentate ligands. The σ-donor and π-acceptor capacity of the monodentate ligand strongly influences the formation and stability of the complexes, and these characteristics should be considered before choosing the appropriate ligand for radiopharmaceuticals design.

Exploring flavonoids as potential inhibitors for Enterococcus faecium nicotinate nucleotide adenylyltransferase: An integration of in silico with empirical studies

Nicotinate nucleotide adenylyltransferase (NNAT) emerges as a promising target for drug development, given its pivotal role in the nicotinate nucleotide biosynthesis pathway crucial for bacterial survival. Using computational modelling and fluorescence methods, this study screened a library of 1427 compounds from MedChemExpress as potential inhibitors against Enterococcus faecium NNAT (EfNNAT). We employed Maestro's Glide HTVS, SP, and XP docking protocols to identify compounds with high binding affinity. The screening utilised two models of the EfNNAT crystal structure: energy-minimised and 100-ns MD-simulated model, hypothesising conformational change that may influence ligand selectivity in the HTVS study. Our findings revealed variations between the minimised versus MD-simulated models, impacting ligand selectivity by each model post-HTVS. However, quercetin 3-O-beta-d-glucose-7-O-beta-d-gentiobioside (QGG) appeared to be the top inhibitor selected by both models after more rigorous docking using Maestro-implemented SP and XP. A 500-ns all-atom MD simulation of the EfNNAT:ligand complex revealed that the compound interacts mainly through hydrogen bonding and water bridges. Validation of the in-silico studies via molecular spectroscopy confirmed QGG's binding to EfNNAT by displacing the fluorescent probes from the protein binding site. Although the binding demonstrated minimal impact on the thermal stability of EfNNAT as deduced from the thermal shift assay, ITC showed that QGG exhibits moderate binding affinity for EfNNAT, with the interaction being spontaneous and thermodynamically favourable. Insights gleaned from this study offer a mechanistic basis that could be leveraged to develop new leads. Expansion of the compound library holds promise for identifying inhibitors with enhanced affinity for EfNNAT.

Resistive random access memory based on organic-metallic hybrid polymer

Abstract Resistive random access memories (ReRAMs) based on an organic-metallic hybrid polymer, Poly(Fe-btpyb) Purple, were fabricated. This material was synthesized by complexation of metal ion and organic ligand. When applying forward bias, an abrupt resistance change from a low resistance state (LRS) to a high resistance state (HRS), which is known as reset process, was observed. In contrast, a reverse bias switched the resistance from HRS to LRS (set process). The resistive switching phenomenon is probably caused by the electrochemical oxidation-reduction reaction of the metal ion (Fe(II)/Fe(III)). The nonvolatile memory characteristics were measured with data-retention tests, showing no significant degradation over 105 s. The endurance characteristics exhibited sufficient long-term durability, due to no conformational change of the organic ligand. It is proposed that the difference in charge-transfer efficiency between the reduced state (Fe(II)) and oxidized state (Fe(III)) might be the physical mechanism of the resistive switching.

Synthesis, crystal structure, spectral analysis and NLO studies of five-coordinate Zn(II) complexes of hydrazochromandione

Using a hydrazochromandione ligand, a straightforward chemical process is used to create zinc(II) complexes (1 and 2) with five coordination. Elemental microanalysis and a range of spectroscopic techniques (FT-IR, 1H NMR and electronic spectroscopy) were used to characterize the ligand and Zn(II) complexes. Single crystal X-ray diffraction was used to identify the crystal structures of HL, complex 1 and 2, and the results showed that ligand has monoclinic system with centrosymmetric space group P21/n. Through ONO donor atoms, Zn(II) metal is coordinated to the ligand in the same way as monoanionic. Two Zn(II) complexes with a deformed square pyramidal geometry surrounding them. Interestingly, relatively strong hydrogen bonds and p-p interactions that result in supramolecular architectures preserve the stabilization of the crystal lattices. Comparing two Zn(II) complexes to hydrazochromandione ligand, they exhibit good non-linear optical response.

An Unprecedented Tridentate-Bridging Coordination Mode of Permanganate Ions: The Synthesis of an Anionic Coordination Polymer-[CoIII(NH3)6]n[(K(κ1-Cl)2(μ2,2',2″-(κ3-O,O',O″-MnO4)2)n∞]-Containing Potassium Central Ion and Chlorido and Permanganato Ligands.

A unique compound (compound 1) with structural features including an unprecedented tridentate-bridging coordination mode of permanganate ions and an eight-coordinated (rhombohedral) κ1-chlorido and tridentate permanganato ligand in a potassium complex containing coordination polymer (CoIII(NH3)6]n[(K(κ1-Cl)2(μ2,2',2″-(κ3-O,O',O″-MnO4)2)n∞) with isolated regular octahedral hexamminecobalt(III) cation was synthesized with a yield of >90%. The structure was found to be stabilized by mono and bifurcated N-H∙∙∙Cl and N-H∙∙∙O (bridging and non-bridging) hydrogen bonds. Detailed spectroscopic (IR, far-IR, and Raman) studies and correlation analysis were performed to assign all vibrational modes. The existence of a resonance Raman effect of compound 1 was also observed. The thermal decomposition products at 500 °C were found to be tetragonal nano-CoMn2O4 spinel with 19-25 nm crystallite size and KCl. The decomposition intermediates formed in toluene at 110 °C showed the presence of a potassium- and chloride-containing intermediates combined into KCl during aqueous leaching, together with the formation of cobalt(II) nitrate hexahydrate. This means that the CoIII-CoII redox reaction and the complete decomposition of the permanganate ions occurred in the first decomposition step, with a partial oxidation of ammonia into nitrate ions.

Differential roles of kinetic on- and off-rates in T-cell receptor signal integration revealed with a modified Fab’-DNA ligand

Antibody-derived T-cell receptor (TCR) agonists are commonly used to activate T cells. While antibodies can trigger TCRs regardless of clonotype, they bypass native T cell signal integration mechanisms that rely on monovalent, membrane-associated, and relatively weakly binding ligand in the context of cellular adhesion. Commonly used antibodies and their derivatives bind much more strongly than native peptide major histocompatibility complex (pMHC) ligands bind their cognate TCRs. Because ligand dwell time is a critical parameter that tightly correlates with physiological function of the TCR signaling system, there is a general need, both in research and therapeutics, for universal TCR ligands with controlled kinetic binding parameters. To this end, we have introduced point mutations into recombinantly expressed α-TCRβ H57 Fab to modulate the dwell time of monovalent Fab binding to TCR. When tethered to a supported lipid bilayer via DNA complementation, these monovalent Fab'-DNA ligands activate T cells with potencies well-correlated with their TCR binding dwell time. Single-molecule tracking studies in live T cells reveal that individual binding events between Fab'-DNA ligands and TCRs elicit local signaling responses closely resembling native pMHC. The unique combination of high on- and off-rates of the H57 R97L mutant enables direct observations of cooperative interplay between ligand binding and TCR-proximal condensation of the linker for activation of T cells, which is not readily visualized with pMHC. This work provides insights into how T cells integrate kinetic information from TCR ligands and introduces a method to develop affinity panels for polyclonal T cells, such as cells from a human patient.

Metal complexes containing vitamin B6-based scaffold as potential DNA/BSA-binding agents inducing apoptosis in hepatocarcinoma (HepG2) cells.

A ligand (HL) was synthesized from the pyridoxal hydrochloride (vitamin B6 form) and 1-(2-Aminoethyl)piperidine in one single step. The metal complexes [Zn(L)(Bpy)]NO3 (1), [Cu(L)(Bpy)]NO3 (2), and [Co(L)(Bpy)]NO3 (3) were prepared by tethering HL and 2,2'-bipyridine. The synthesized HL and metal complexes 1-3 were thoroughly characterized using spectroscopic techniques such as 1H NMR, 13C NMR, FTIR, EI-MS, molar conductance, and magnetic moment, in addition to CHN elemental analysis. The geometry of complexes was square pyramidal around the metal ions {Zn(II), Cu(II), and Co(II)}. The interaction of ligand and metal complexes with DNA and BSA macromolecules was accomplished by UV-Vis absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy in vitro. The hyperchromism in band at 303-325 with no shift supports the groove binding with some partial intercalation in grooves. Similarly, in BSA-binding studies, complex 2 shows greater binding potential in the hydrophobic core probably near the Trp-212 in the subdomain IIA. Furthermore, complex 2 shows excellent cytotoxicity on HepG2 cancer cells with IC50 = 25.0 ± 0.45µM. The detailed analysis by cell-cycle studies shows cell arrest at the G2/M phase. The type of cell death was authenticated by an annexin V-FTIC dual staining experiment that reveals maximum death by apoptosis together with non-specific necrosis.

Spectroscopic, DFT and molecular docking studies of novel diosgenin NSAID conjugates and their in vitro evaluation as potential anti-cancer agents against SiHa cells

In the current study, diosgenin-etodolac and diosgenin-naproxen conjugates have been synthesized using Steglich reaction. The synthesized compound 2 and 3 were purified using column chromatography and characterized with the help of modern spectroscopic techniques like 1H, 13C NMR, FT-IR, UV-Visible spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. The geometries of both the compounds were optimized in the ground state by density function theory at the B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) level. These synthesized compounds were evaluated in vitro for their anti-cancer activity against SiHa cells which demonstrated an increased apoptotic activity in comparison to the parent compound i.e. diosgenin. Molecular docking studies were carried out to investigate the inhibitory action of steroidal derivatives against the HPV16 E7 (PDBID- 2B9D) and HPV18 E2 (PDBID- 1F9F) proteins. The result of molecular docking revealed good interactions between compound 2 and 3 with the selected proteins. The computational analysis data and experimental data were in conformation with each other. Molecular simulation was performed for 50ns to access the conformational stability and fluctuation of protein ligand complexes during the simulation.

Synthesis and Photo/Radiation Chemical Characterization of a New Redox-Stable Pyridine-Triazole Ligand.

Photocatalysis using transition-metal complexes is widely considered the future of effective and affordable clean-air technology. In particular, redox-stable, easily accessible ligands are decisive. Here, we report a straightforward and facile synthesis of a new highly stable 2,6-bis(triazolyl)pyridine ligand, containing a nitrile moiety as a masked anchoring group, using copper(I)-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC) click reaction. The reported structure mimics the binding motif of uneasy to synthesize ligands. Pulse radiolysis under oxidizing and reducing conditions provided evidence for the high stability of the formed radical cation and radical anion 2,6-di(1,2,3-triazol-1-yl)-pyridine compound, thus indicating the feasibility of utilizing this as a ligand for redox active metal complexes and the sensitization of metal-oxide semiconductors (e. g., TiO2 nanoparticles or nanotubes).

Synthesis, structural characterization and computational studies of half- sandwich Ru(II) (η6-p–cymene) TPA appended benzhydrazone complex

A ruthenium complex of the type Ru[η6(p–cymene)Cl(L)] where L = Triphenylamine (TPA) appended O^N bidendate benzhydrazone ligand was synthesized and characterized by various analytical and spectral [UV, FT-IR, NMR (1H and 13C) and HRMS] methods. The solid state molecular structure of the ruthenium complex was investigated with the aid of X-ray crystallography results with pseudo-octahedral geometry around the metal centre. FT-IR spectroscopy confirms the coordination via the azomethine nitrogen and imidolate oxygen. Density Functional theory (DFT) calculations have been used to analyse the composition of frontiers orbitals. The bonding interactions between the ligand and ruthenium complex fragments have been examined by EDA. The spin-allowed singlet transitions were calculated with the TD-DFT method. NBO analysis shows that the donation from ligand to metal has value of 136.64 kcal/mol and the back donation is equal to 109.61 kcal/mol. Hence the ligand is a σ-donor with weak π-acceptor properties. The DOS spectrum of both ligand and complex were plotted in terms of Mullikan population analysis were calculated using the GassSum program. Further, the relative contributions to the Hirshfeld surface area for the various close intermolecular contacts of ruthenium complex are investigated and H…H interactions plays an important role for the construction of the crystal structure of the ruthenium complex.

Exploring the DNA-binding and anticancer potential of polypyridyl ruthenium(II) complexes

Organometallic medicines based on ruthenium (Ru) have attracted interest as chemotherapeutic and bioimaging agents due to their low toxicity and superior physical optical characteristics. However, there are still no ideal candidates in clinical trials due to the lack of understanding of the structure-activity relationships (SARs) of polypyrodyl Ru(II) complexes. Though increasing the electron-donating ability of the ligands has been proven to benefit bioactivity due to the fast hydroxylation rate between chlorine and DNA, the total electronic effects are much more important, especially for the binding modes between Ru(II)-polypyridyl complexes and DNA. By evaluating the electron-donating ability of the ligand complexes 1 - 4 through density functional theory (DFT) calculations, bioactivities tests, and docking studies, we investigated the relationship between the structures of Ru(II) complexes and cytotoxicity. Our findings showed that it was insufficient to merely consider the impact of electron-donating effects on biological activities in place of interaction modes. Furthermore, the cellular imaging study investigated the complex with phenyl substituents (1) and confirmed that the main target was DNA. Besides, the “off-on” emission phenomena of complex 1 indicated that there is also covalent interaction with DNA. These findings offer valuable insight into the development of SARs of polypyrodyl Ru(II) complexes.

Copper(II) complex of pentadentate N5 ligand as catalyst for 2-aminophenol oxidation

Exploring the catalytic activity of the copper(II) complex of pentadentate ligand in oxidizing o-aminophenol (OAP) has not been extensively studied. To scrutinize the least explored domain, we synthesized and characterized the copper(II) complex of pentadentate ligand, 3-(bis(pyridin-2-ylmethyl)amino)-N-(quinolin-8-yl)propanamide. Further, the complex was allowed to react with OAP to form 2-aminophenoxazin-3-one (APX) via oxidative coupling reaction, the resultant product is a functional analogue of phenoxazinone synthase (PHS), an active enzyme, relevant to the industrial production of a widely recognized antibiotic called Actinomycin D. Furthermore, kinetic studies were performed to comprehend the path of the reaction which unveiled the formation of the complex-substrate adduct. It is worth noticing that the complex displayed an impressive turnover number of 6.4 × 104 h−1 under atmospheric conditions in methanol. To the best of our knowledge, the present complex is the first copper(II) complex with pentadentate N5 ligand showing PHS mimicking catalytic activity.

Restriction of reaction sites on metal-sulfide cores induced by steric repulsion of bis-N-heterocyclic carbene ligands in trinuclear complexes bearing triply bridging sulfide ligands.

Mixed-ligand and mixed-metal trinuclear complexes bearing two {Pt-bisNHC-C1} moieties, [{Pt(bisNHC-C1)}2(ML)(μ3-S)2] n+ (ML = Pt(bisNHC-C2), n = 2; ML = Pt(bisNHC-C3), n = 2; ML = Rh(cod), n = 1; ML = RhCp*, n = 2), where bisNHC-C1, bisNHC-C2 and bisNHC-C3 represent methylene-, ethylene- and propylene-bridged bis-NHC ligands, respectively, were synthesised and structurally characterised. Reactions of these complexes with a half eq. of Ag(i) ions were examined using 1H and 195Pt NMR spectroscopy. The results exhibit that the trinuclear complexes react with Ag(i) ions accompanied by the formation of Ag-Pt bonds with the {Pt-bisNHC-C1} moieties in the first step affording corresponding heptanuclear complexes except for the RhCp* complex. The RhCp* complex gave a tetranuclear complex bearing the trinuclear unit with an Ag(i) ion. Further addition of Ag(i) ions for the other complexes resulted in disassembling of the heptanuclear clusters affording tetranuclear complexes confirmed by the observation of exchange of the Ag(i) ions in 195Pt NMR measurements, which exhibited signals with no coupling to Ag nuclei.

Revealing the pH-dependent conformational changes in sol g 2.1 protein and potential ligands binding

Sol g 2, a major protein found in the venom of the tropical fire ant (Solenopsis geminata), is well-known for its ability to bind various hydrophobic molecules. In this study, we investigate the binding activity of recombinant Sol g 2.1 protein (rSol g 2.1) with potential molecules, including (E)-β-Farnesene, α-Caryophyllene, and 1-Octen-3-ol at different pH levels (pH 7.4 and 5.5) using fluorescence competitive binding assays (FCBA). Our results revealed that Sol g 2.1 protein has higher affinity binding with these ligands at neutral pH. Relevance to molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations were utilized to provide insights into the stability and conformational dynamics of Sol g 2.1 and its ligand complexes. After simulation, we found that Sol g 2.1 protein has higher affinity binding with these ligands as well as high structural stability at pH 7.4 than at an acidic pH level, indicating by RMSD, RMSF, Rg, SASA, and principal component analysis (PCA). Additionally, the Sol g 2.1 protein complexes at pH 7.4 showed significantly lower binding free energy (∆Gbind) and higher total residue contributions, particularly from key non-polar amino acids such as Trp36, Met40, Cys62, and Ile104, compared to the lower pH environment. These explain why they exhibited higher binding affinity than the lower pH. Therefore, we suggested that Sol g 2.1 protein is a pH-responsive carrier protein. These findings also expand our understanding of protein–ligand interactions and offer potential avenues for the development of innovative drug delivery strategies targeting Sol g 2.1 protein.

In Situ Observation of Elusive Dirhodium Carbenes and Studies on the Innate Role of Carboxamidate Ligands in Dirhodium Paddlewheel Complexes: A Combined Experimental and Computational Approach.

Carboxamidates as equatorial ligands in dirhodium paddlewheel catalysts are widely believed to increase selectivity at the expense of reactivity. The results of the combined experimental and computational approach described in this paper show that one has to beware of such generalizations. First, 103Rh NMR revealed how strongly primary carboxamidates impact the electronic nature of the rhodium center they are bound to; at the same time, such ligands stabilize donor/acceptor carbenes by engaging their ester carbonyl group into peripheral interligand hydrogen bonding. This array benefits selectivity as well as reactivity if maintained along the entire reaction coordinate of a catalytic cyclopropanation. In settings where the hydrogen bond needs to be distorted for the reaction to proceed, however, it constitutes a significant enthalpic handicap. Representative examples for each scenario were analyzed by DFT; in both cases, the cyclopropanation step rather than carbene formation was found to be turnover-limiting. While this conclusion somehow contradicts the literature, it implied that the direct observation of highly reactive dirhodium carbenes in truly catalytic settings might be possible, even though the intermediates carry olefinic sites amenable to intramolecular cyclopropanation. Such in situ monitoring by NMR is without precedent, yet it was successful with the homoleptic catalyst [Rh2(OPiv)4] as well as with its heteroleptic sibling [Rh2(OPiv)3(acam)] comprising an acetamidate (acam); in the latter case, the carbene bound to the rhodium atom at the [O3N]-face was observed, which concurs with the computational data that this species is stabilized by the forecited interligand hydrogen bonding.

Strategies and Mechanisms of First-Row Transition Metal-Regulated Radical C-H Functionalization.

Radical C-H functionalization represents a useful means of streamlining synthetic routes by avoiding substrate preactivation and allowing access to target molecules in fewer steps. The first-row transition metals (Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, and Cu) are Earth-abundant and can be employed to regulate radical C-H functionalization. The use of such metals is desirable because of the diverse interaction modes between first-row transition metal complexes and radical species including radical addition to the metal center, radical addition to the ligand of metal complexes, radical substitution of the metal complexes, single-electron transfer between radicals and metal complexes, hydrogen atom transfer between radicals and metal complexes, and noncovalent interaction between the radicals and metal complexes. Such interactions could improve the reactivity, diversity, and selectivity of radical transformations to allow for more challenging radical C-H functionalization reactions. This review examines the achievements in this promising area over the past decade, with a focus on the state-of-the-art while also discussing existing limitations and the enormous potential of high-value radical C-H functionalization regulated by these metals. The aim is to provide the reader with a detailed account of the strategies and mechanisms associated with such functionalization.

Lessons learned during the journey of data: from experiment to model for predicting kinase affinity, selectivity, polypharmacology, and resistance.

Recent advances in machine learning (ML) are reshaping drug discovery. Structure-based ML methods use physically-inspired models to predict binding affinities from protein:ligand complexes. These methods promise to enable the integration of data for many related targets, which addresses issues related to data scarcity for single targets and could enable generalizable predictions for a broad range of targets, including mutants. In this work, we report our experiences in building KinoML, a novel framework for ML in target-based small molecule drug discovery with an emphasis on structure-enabled methods. KinoML focuses currently on kinases as the relative structural conservation of this protein superfamily, particularly in the kinase domain, means it is possible to leverage data from the entire superfamily to make structure-informed predictions about binding affinities, selectivities, and drug resistance. Some key lessons learned in building KinoML include: the importance of reproducible data collection and deposition, the harmonization of molecular data and featurization, and the choice of the right data format to ensure reusability and reproducibility of ML models. As a result, KinoML allows users to easily achieve three tasks: accessing and curating molecular data; featurizing this data with representations suitable for ML applications; and running reproducible ML experiments that require access to ligand, protein, and assay information to predict ligand affinity. Despite KinoML focusing on kinases, this framework can be applied to other proteins. The lessons reported here can help guide the development of platforms for structure-enabled ML in other areas of drug discovery.

In Vitro Interaction of Binuclear Copper Complexes with Liver Drug-Metabolizing Cytochromes P450.

Two copper(II) mixed ligand complexes with dicarboxylate bridges were prepared and studied, namely [Cu2(μ-fu)(pmdien)2(H2O)2](ClO4)2 (complex No. 5) and [Cu2(μ-dtdp)(pmdien)2(H2O)2](ClO4)2 (complex No. 6), where H2fu = fumaric acid, pmdien = N,N,N',N″,N″ pentamethyldiethylenetriamine, and H2dtdp = 3,3'-dithiodipropionic acid. The copper atoms are coordinated in the same mode by the tridentate pmdien ligand and oxygen of water molecules, and they only differ in the dicarboxylate bridge. This work is focused on the study of the inhibitory effect of these potential antimicrobial drugs on the activity of the most important human liver drug-metabolizing enzymes, cytochromes P450 (CYP), especially their forms CYP2C8, CYP2C19, and CYP3A4. The obtained results allow us to estimate the probability of potential drug interactions with simultaneously administrated drugs that are metabolized by these CYP enzymes. In conclusion, the presence of adverse effects due to drug-drug interactions with concomitantly used drugs cannot be excluded, and hence, topical application may be recommended as a relatively safe approach.

Coordination Behaviors between Aryl Diamide Amine Ligands and Trivalent Lanthanides: A Spectroscopic and Structural Study

Investigating the complexation of organic ligands with trivalent lanthanides (Ln(III)) is crucial in various fields, particularly in the separation of actinides from lanthanides for spent fuel reprocessing. While alkyl diamide amine ligands have been extensively studied, aryl‐functionalized ligands are rarely reported. To understand the effect of substituents on the coordination mode of diamide amine ligands with Ln(III), two aryl‐substituted diamide amine ligands, 2,2'‐(p‐tolylazanediyl)bis(N‐ethyl‐N‐(p‐tolyl)acetamide) (L1) and 2,2'‐((2‐ethylhexyl)azanediyl)bis(N‐ethyl‐N‐(p‐tolyl)acetamide) (L2), were synthesized and systematically studied. 1H NMR titration showed that metal ion coordination affected the electron density of methylene groups near coordinating atoms more than that of aromatic rings, while fluorescence titration and single‐crystal analysis confirmed 1:1 ligand‐Ln(III) complexes. Compared to alkyl diamide amine ligands, aryl groups increased steric hindrance, enhancing torsional strain and preventing amine nitrogen from participating in complexation, leading to weaker coordination as only two carbonyl oxygen atoms coordinated with Ln(III) in a bidentate mode. This work provides insight into how substituents influence the complexation properties of diamide amine ligands with f‐elements, aiding in the design of new ligands with improved performance.

Synthesis, Characterization and Antimicrobial Analysis of Nickel and Cobalt Complexes of Condensates of Salicylaldehyde and 2-Hydroxy Aniline

This study on the synthesis, characterization and antimicrobial analysis of Nickel and Cobalt complexes of condensates of salicylaldehyde and 2-hydroxy aniline constitutes an attempt towards the development of new molecular compounds that could destroy the barrier of resistance of pharmaceutical products. The ligands of 2-phenyliminomethylphenol (PMP) and 2,2-hydroxy benzylidene aminophenol (HAP) were first prepared by separately reacting Aniline with Salicylaldehyde on the one hand, and 2-aminophenol with Salicylaldehyde on the other hand. The unmixed metal complexes were prepared by reacting either of 0.29 mmol 2-phenylimino methyl phenol ligand with the metal salt or 0.29 mmol 2,2-hydroxybenzylideneaminophenol ligand with the metal salt while the mixed metal complexes were prepared by addition of equimolar amount of ligands of 2-phenyliminomethylphenol and 2,2-hydroxybenzylideneaminophenol into the metal salt. The molecular structures of the ligands and their complexes have been determined and characterized using GC-MS, FTIR, UV-Vis, 1H-NMR, and X-ray diffraction techniques. The melting point and solubility of the ligands and synthesized complexes were equally determined. Antimicrobial studies were carried out with ligands PMP and HAP and the metal complexes using clinical isolates of Gram Positive Bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus substilis), Gram Negative Bacteria (Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and Fungi (Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger). All complexes and ligands were found to be soluble in dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO). Asymmetric Octahedral geometry is observed for Nickel (II) and Cobalt (II) complexes with PMP, HAP, and the mixed ligands. A bidentate ligand is coordinated to metal ions through oxygen atoms of carbonyl groups and nitrogen atoms of two imine groups for Nickel (II) and Cobalt (II) complexes. The findings from the XRD pattern indicate that the ligand and metal complexes are crystalline with a high crystallite size of 119.23nm to 638.67nm. The FTIR spectra for 2-phenyliminomethylphenol (PMP) showed IR absorption band at 1569.2 cm-1 suggesting the stretching vibration of the C=C bond in the benzene rings, while the bands at 1613.9 cm-1 indicated the =C-N stretching in the benzene ring. The complexes showed electronic spectra which suggest that energy was absorbed in the ultraviolet/visible region, producing changes in the electronic energy of the compound and resulting from the transition of valence electrons in the complexes. The XRD findings reveal that the crystal formed by the ligands and their respective complexes are large. The ligands were found to be larger in size than the complexes and this could be due to the complexation reactions. The X-ray diffractograms of the metal complexes produced good intense peaks that suggest high crystallinity. The ligand of 2-phenyliminomethylphenol (PMP) and 2,2-hydroxy benzylidene aminophenol (HAP) showed partial inhibitory action on the clinical isolates of Gram Postive, Gram Negative and zero inhibitory effect on the fungi while the divalent metal complexes of both mixed and unmixed ligands exhibited either stronger or strongest inhibition. The study concludes that the synthesized ligands and their metal complexes are purely crystalline as revealed by the chemical analysis, exhibited inhibitory actions on Gram Positive, Gram Negative and fungi species.