Synthesis of nickel(II) complexes of isatin thiosemicarbazone derivatives: in vitro anti-cancer, DNA binding, and cleavage activities

Abstract

Six new nickel(II) complexes of thiosemicarbazone Schiff base with isatin moiety [Ni(L1)₂–Ni(L6)₂] were synthesized through reaction of Ni(II) with (Z)-2-(2-oxoindolin-3-ylidene)-N-phenylhydrazinecarbothioamide (L1H), (Z)-2-(5-methyl-2-oxoindolin-3-ylidene)-N-phenylhydrazinecarbothioamide (L2H), (Z)-2-(5-fluoro-2-oxoindolin-3-ylidene)-N-phenylhydrazinecarbothioamide (L3H), (Z)-N-methyl-2-(5-nitro-2-oxoindolin-3-ylidene)hydrazinecarbothioamide (L4H), (Z)-N-methyl-2-(5-methyl-2-oxoindolin-3-ylidene)hydrazinecarbothioamide (L5H), and (Z)-N-ethyl-2-(5-methyl-2-oxoindolin-3-ylidene)hydrazinecarbothioamide (L6H). The structures of the Ni complexes were characterized through elemental analysis, infrared, and mass spectral data. The structure of the NiL2 complex was further characterized through single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The interaction of these complexes with calf thymus (CT-DNA) exhibited high intrinsic binding constants (K_b = 1.4 × 10⁵–2.4 × 10⁶ M⁻¹), which reflected their intercalative activity toward CT-DNA. This result was also confirmed by viscosity data. Electrophoresis studies revealed that these complexes could cleave the DNA through the oxidative pathway. The in vitro anti-proliferative study establishes the anticancer potency of these compounds against human colorectal carcinoma cell line.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• Nickel(II) complexes
• Isatin moiety
• Intercalative activity
• Oxidative pathway
• Anti-proliferative activity

Acknowledgements

The authors thank the Malaysian Government and Universiti Sains Malaysia for the RU research grant (1001/PKIMIA/815067).