Silver(I) complexes bearing heterocyclic thioamide ligands with NH2 and CF3 substituents: effect of ligand group substitution on antibacterial and anticancer properties.

In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in the study of Ag(I) coordination compounds as potent antibacterial and anticancer agents. Herein, a series of Ag(I) complexes bearing phosphines and heterocyclic thioamide ligands with highly electronegative NH2- and CF3-group substituents, i.e. [AgCl(atdztH)(xantphos)] (1), [Ag(µ-atdztH)(DPEphos)]2(NO3)2 (2), [Ag(atdzt)(PPh3)3] (3), [Ag(µ-atdzt)(DPEphos)]2 (4), and [Ag(µ-mtft)(DPEphos)]2 (5), where atdztH = 5-amino-1,3,4-thiadiazole-2-thiol, mtftH = 4-methyl-5-(trifluoromethyl)-1,2,4-triazol-3-thiol, xantphos = 4,5-bis(diphenylphosphino)-9,9-dimethylxanthene, and DPEphos = bis(2-diphenylphosphino-phenyl)ether, were synthesized, and their in vitro antibacterial and anticancer properties were evaluated. Complexes 1-4 bearing the NH2-substituted thioamide exhibited moderate-to-high activity against S. aureus, B. subtilis, B. cereus and E. coli bacterial strains. A high antiproliferative activity was also observed for 1-3 against SKOV-3, Hup-T3, DMS114 and PC3 cancer cell lines (IC50 = 4.0-11.7 µM), as well as some degree of selectivity against MRC-5 normal cells. Interestingly, 5 bearing the CF3-substituted thioamide is completely inactive in all bioactivity studies. Binding of 1-3 to drug-carrier proteins BSA and HSA is reasonably strong for their uptake and subsequent release to possible target sites. The three complexes show a significant in vitro antioxidant ability for scavenging free radicals, suggesting likely implication of this property in the mechanism of their bioactivity, but a low potential to destroy the double-strand structure of CT-DNA by intercalation. Complementary insights into possible bioactivity mechanisms were provided by molecular docking calculations, exploring the ability of complexes to bind to bacterial DNA gyrase, and to the overexpressed in the aforementioned cancer cells Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor 1, affecting their functionalities.

Biocompatible silver(I) complexes with heterocyclic thioamide ligands for selective killing of cancer cells and high antimicrobial activity - A combined in vitro and in silico study.

A series of heteroleptic Ag(I) complexes bearing 4,6-dimethyl-2-pyrimidinethiol (dmp2SH), i.e., [AgCl(dmp2SH)(PPh3)2] (1), [Ag(dmp2SH)(PPh3)2]NO3 (2), [Ag(dmp2SΗ)(xantphos)]NO3 (3), [Ag(µ-dmp2S)(PPh3)]2 (4), [Ag(dmp2S)(xantphos)] (5), [Ag(µ-dmp2S)(DPEphos)]2 (6) (xantphos = 4,5-bis(diphenylphosphino)-9,9-dimethylxanthene and DPEPhos = bis[(2-diphenylphosphino)phenyl]ether) were synthesized. The complexes display systematic variation of particular structural characteristics which were proved to have a significant impact on their in vitro cytotoxicity and antimicrobial properties. A moderate-to-high potential for bacteria growth inhibition was observed for all complexes, with 2, 3 and 5 being particularly effective against Gram-(+) bacteria (IC50 = 1.6-4.5 µM). The three complexes exhibit high in vitro cytotoxicity against HeLa and MCF-7 cancer cells (IC50 = 0.32-3.00 µΜ), suggesting the importance of coordination unsaturation and cationic charge for effective bioactivity. A very low cytotoxicity against HDFa normal cells was observed, revealing a high degree of selectivity (selectivity index ~10) and, hence, biocompatibility. Fluorescence microscopy using 2 showed effective targeting on the membrane of the HeLa cancer cells, subsequently inducing cell death. Binding of the complexes to serum albumin proteins is reasonably strong for potential uptake and subsequent release to target sites. A moderate in vitro antioxidant capacity for free radicals scavenging was observed and a low potential to destroy the double-strand structure of calf-thymus DNA by intercalation, suggesting likely implication of these properties in the bioactivity mechanisms of these complexes. Further insight into possible mechanisms of bioactivity was obtained by molecular modeling calculations, by exploring their ability to act as potential inhibitors of DNA-gyrase, human estrogen receptor alpha, human cyclin-dependent kinase 6, and human papillomavirus E6 oncoprotein.

Silver complexes with heterocyclic thioamide and tertiary arylphosphane ligands: Synthesis, crystal structures, in vitro and in silico antibacterial and cytotoxic activity, and interaction with DNA.

Herein we report on the synthesis and molecular structures of six silver(I) mixed-ligand complexes containing a heterocyclic thioamide [4-phenyl-imidazole-2-thione (phimtH) or 2,2,5,5-tetramethyl-imidazolidine-4-thione (tmimdtH)] and a tertiary arylphosphane [triphenylphosphine (PPh3), tri-o-tolylphosphane (totp)] or diphosphane [(1,2-bis(diphenylphosphano)ethane (dppe), bis(2-diphenylphosphano-phenyl)ether (DPEphos) or 4,5-bis(diphenylphosphano)-9,9-dimethylxanthene) (xantphos)]. The interaction of the compounds with calf-thymus DNA (CT DNA), as monitored directly via UV-vis spectroscopy and DNA-viscosity measurements and indirectly via its competition with ethidium bromide for DNA-intercalation sites, is suggested to take place via an intercalative mode. The new complexes show selective significant in vitro antibacterial activity against four bacterial strains. The antiproliferative effects and cytostatic efficacies of the complexes against four human cancer cell lines were evaluated. The best cytostatic and cytotoxic activity was appeared for the complexes bearing the phimtH moiety. In order to explain the described in vitro activity of the complexes, and to approach a possible mechanism of action, molecular docking studies were adopted on the crystal structure of CT DNA, DNA-gyrase, human estrogen receptor alpha and a cell-cycle specific target protein, human cyclin-dependent kinase 6.

Bi- and trinuclear copper(I) compounds of 2,2,5,5-tetramethyl-imidazolidine-4-thione and 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphano)ethane: Synthesis, crystal structures, in vitro and in silico study of antibacterial activity and interaction with DNA and albumins.

Herein we report on the synthesis, molecular structures, DNA-binding properties and antibacterial activity of four new copper(I) mixed-ligand complexes obtained by reacting copper(I) halides or [Cu(CH3CN)4](BF4) with 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphano)ethane (dppe) and 2,2,5,5-tetramethylimidazolidine-4-thione (tmimdtH). Depending on the nature of the halide, the resulting compounds adopt two different structural motifs. Thus, using CuCl or CuBr, doubly dppe-bridged symmetrical dimmers of type [(κ-S-tmimdtH)XCu(µ-dppe)2CuX(κ-S-tmimdtH)] are formed, while in the case of CuI, a rare example of a trinuclear complex was isolated, in which the Cu atom of a CuI(tmimdtH) moiety is linked by two bridging dppe units with the two Cu atoms of a cluster-type Cu2I2(dppe) core. On the other hand, [Cu(CH3CN)4](BF4) reacts with the anion of tmimdtH in the presence of dppe to form a binuclear complex consisting of two (dppe)Cu(tmimdt) units linked together by the P atoms of a dppe bridging ligand. The complexes show significant in vitro antibacterial activity against certain bacterial strains. An intercalative mode is suggested as the most probable interaction fashion of the compounds with calf-thymus (CT) DNA, monitored directly via UV-vis spectroscopy, DNA-viscosity measurements and indirectly via their competition with ethidium bromide for DNA as studied by fluorescence emission spectroscopy. The binding of the complexes to human (HSA) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) is tight. In order to explain the described in vitro activity of the compounds, we adopted molecular docking studies on the crystal structure of HSA, BSA, CT DNA and DNA-gyrase.

Homoleptic and heteroleptic silver(I) complexes bearing diphosphane and thioamide ligands: Synthesis, structures, DNA interactions and antibacterial activity studies.

Three silver(I) complexes bearing different combinations of diphosphanes and N-heterocyclic thioamides or thioamidates as ligands have been synthesized and structurally characterized: the ionic, homoleptic compound [Ag(xantphos)2][BF4] (1), where xantphos = 4,5-bis(diphenylphosphano)-9,9-dimethyl-xanthene, and the neutral, heteroleptic compounds [Ag(xantphos)(κ-S-pymt)] (2), where pymt = pyrimidine-2-thiolate, and [AgCl(dppbz)(κ-S-mtdztH)] (3), where dppbz = bis(diphenylphosphano)benzene and mtdztH = 5-methyl-1,3,4-thiadiazole-2-thione. X-ray crystallography studies reveal tetrahedral coordination environments around the silver(I) ions in compounds 1 and 3, while a trigonal planar arrangement of the P2S donor set has been found around the metal center in compound 2. The interaction of the three compounds with calf-thymus DNA was monitored by UV-vis spectroscopy, DNA-viscosity measurements and indirectly by testing their ability to compete with ethidium bromide for DNA intercalation sites studied by fluorescence emission spectroscopy. Intercalation was revealed as the most possible binding mode for the neutral compounds 2 and 3 and electrostatic interactions for the cationic complex [Ag(xantphos)2]+ in 1. Complexes 1-3 have also been found to display moderate in vitro antibacterial activity against the Gram-positive B. cereus, S. aureus and the Gram-negative E. coli bacterial strains, with the homoleptic bis-phosphane silver(I) compound 1 exhibiting a lower activity than the other two neutral compounds.

Copper(I) complexes of 1,10-phenanthroline and heterocyclic thioamides: an experimental and theoretical (DFT) investigation of the photophysical characteristics.

A series of luminescent mixed ligand complexes of copper(I) halides with 1,10-phenanthroline and the heterocyclic thioamides pyridine-2(1H)-thione (py2SH), pyrimidine-2(1H)-thione (pymtH), 4,6-dimethylpyrimidine-2(1H)-thione (dmpymtH), 1,4,5,6-tetrahydropyrimidine-2-thione (tHpymtH), 1,3-imidazolidine-2-thione (imtH(2)) and 4,5-diphenyl-2-oxazolethiol (dpoxtH) have been synthesized and characterized. The molecular structures of two representative compounds have been established by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The mononuclear complexes feature the metal in a distorted tetrahedral environment surrounded by the two N atoms of the chelating 1,10-phenanthroline, the thione-S atom of the thioamide, and the halogen atom. The molecular structure, the electronic and photophysical properties and the energetics of the metal-ligand interactions for [CuI(phen)(py2SH)] have been studied by means of density functional calculations.

Copper(I) halide complexes with 1,3-propanebis(diphenylphosphine) and heterocyclic thione ligands: crystal and electronic structures (DFT) of [CuCl(pymtH)(dppp)], [CuBr(pymtH)(dppp)], and [Cu(mu-I)(dppp)](2).

Reaction of copper(I) chloride or bromide with equimolar amounts of the diphos ligand 1,3-propanebis(diphenylphosphine) and a heterocyclic thione (L) in acetonitrile/methanol solvent afforded mononuclear complexes of the type [CuX(dppp)(L)] with the diphosphine ligand acting as a chelating ligand. In contrast, copper(I) iodide under the same conditions gave the dimeric complex [Cu(mu-I)(dppp)](2), which contains doubly bridging iodo ligands. The structures of three complexes, namely, [CuCl(pymtH)(dppp)], [CuCl(pymtH)(dppp)], and [Cu(mu-I)(dppp)](2), have been established by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Density functional calculations at the B3LYP level of theory provided a satisfactory description of the structural, bonding, electronic, and related properties of the [CuX(PH(3))(2)] and [CuX(1,3-pdp)] (1,3-pdp = 1,3-propane-di-phosphine) complexes and their dimers along with their associations with the pyrimidine-2-thione (pymtH) ligand. The interaction of the pymtH ligand with the Cu(I) metal center in these complexes corresponds to loose associations, the computed interaction energies predicted to be about 20 kcal/mol for all complexes in the series. The bonding mechanism of the thione ligand with the Cu(I) metal centers involves both a sigma-dative and pi-back-bonding components. The coordination of the pymtH ligand is further stabilized by X...H-N bond formation being more pronounced in the chloro than in the iodo derivatives. The Cu-X bond was also found to be a composite bond involving sigma- and pi-dative bonding components. Most important is the presence of pi-type MOs delocalized over the entire four-membered Cu(mu-X)(2)Cu ring, which supports a ring current and could probably account for the nearly equivalent Cu-X bonds in the rhombus. Moreover, all [Cu(mu-X)(PH(3))(2)](2) dimers exhibit a sigma-type MO corresponding to weak Cu.Cu interactions supporting through-ring intermetallic interactions, which seems to be responsible for the stabilization of the otherwise unstable antiaromatic Cu(mu-X)(2)Cu ring.