Synthesis, crystal structure, DNA binding, and cleavage activity of butterfly-like 12-coordinate praseodymium(III) complex

ABSTRACT

The present work demonstrates the structural characterization of the butterfly-like 12-coordinate praseodymium(III) complex with 2-formylpyridine acetylhydrazone (FPAH). The complex was crystallized in the monoclinic crystal system with space group P21/n. The X-ray diffraction analysis of the complex reveals twelve-coordinated distorted icosahedrons for the PrN₄O₈ chromophore defined by two neutral chelating FPAH ligands as well as three-coordinated NO₃ anions. The complex has a distorted icosahedral structure. The intermolecular interactions were supported by Hirshfeld surfaces and fingerprint plots. The absorption spectral titrations of the complex with CT-DNA reveal groove binding of the complex with DNA. The complex exhibited significant DNA cleavage activity in the absence of an oxidant.

KEYWORDS:

• 2-formylpyridine acetylhydrazone
• crystal structure
• supramolecular interactions
• hirshfeld
• DNA binding and cleavage

Acknowledgments

We are thankful to SAIF, IIT-Madras for providing X-ray crystallographic data. The authors also thank UGC and DST for providing equipment facility under SAP and FIST programs, respectively.

Funding

One of the authors (K. Raja) is thankful to UGC, New Delhi for the award Project Fellow. The authors are thankful to UGC, New Delhi [Sanction No. F 40-80/2011(SR); F 19-106/2013(BSR)] for financial support.