Synergy of experimental and computational chemistry: structure and biological activity of Zn(II) hydrazone complexes

Dalton Trans. 2024 Aug 13;53(32):13436-13453. doi: 10.1039/d4dt01353k.

Abstract

In this paper, three different Zn(II) complexes with (E)-2-(2-(1-(6-bromopyridin-2-yl)ethylidene)hydrazinyl)-N,N,N-trimethyl-2-oxoethan-1-aminium chloride (HLCl) have been synthesized and characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction, elemental analysis, IR and NMR spectroscopy. All complexes are mononuclear, with the ligand (L) coordinated in a deprotonated formally neutral zwitterionic form via NNO donor set atoms. Complex 1 forms an octahedral geometry with the composition [ZnL2](BF4)2, while complexes 2 [ZnL(NCO)2] and 3 [ZnL(N3)2] form penta-coordinated geometry. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed to enhance our understanding of the structures of the synthesized complexes and the cytotoxic activity of the complexes was tested against five human cancer cell lines (HeLa, A549, MDA-MB-231, K562, LS 174T) and normal human fibroblasts MRC-5. Additionally, antibacterial and antifungal activity of these complexes was tested against a panel of Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, two fungal strains, and a yeast strain. It is noteworthy that all three complexes show selective antifungal activity comparable to that of amphotericin B. Molecular docking analysis predicted that geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate synthase, an enzyme essential for sterol biosynthesis, is the most likely target for inhibition by the tested complexes.

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents* / chemical synthesis
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents* / chemistry
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents* / pharmacology
  • Antifungal Agents* / chemical synthesis
  • Antifungal Agents* / chemistry
  • Antifungal Agents* / pharmacology
  • Antineoplastic Agents* / chemical synthesis
  • Antineoplastic Agents* / chemistry
  • Antineoplastic Agents* / pharmacology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Coordination Complexes* / chemical synthesis
  • Coordination Complexes* / chemistry
  • Coordination Complexes* / pharmacology
  • Density Functional Theory*
  • Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor
  • Fungi / drug effects
  • Gram-Negative Bacteria / drug effects
  • Gram-Positive Bacteria / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Hydrazones* / chemical synthesis
  • Hydrazones* / chemistry
  • Hydrazones* / pharmacology
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests*
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Docking Simulation
  • Molecular Structure
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Zinc* / chemistry
  • Zinc* / pharmacology

Substances

  • Hydrazones
  • Zinc
  • Coordination Complexes
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Antifungal Agents
  • Antineoplastic Agents