2-Hydroxynaphthalene-1-carbaldehyde- and 2-(aminomethyl)pyridine-based Schiff base Cu(II) complexes for DNA binding and cleavage.

Three mononuclear Cu(II) complexes, [CuCl(naph-pa)] (1), [Cu(bipy)(naph-pa)]Cl (2), and [Cu(naph-pa)(phen)]Cl (3) ((naph-pa)=Schiff base derived from the condensation of 2-hydroxynaphthalene-1-carbaldehyde and 2-picolylamine (=2-(aminomethyl)pyridine), bipy=2,2'-bypiridine, and phen=1,10-phenanthroline) were synthesized and characterized. Complex 1 exhibits square-planar geometry, and 2 and 3 exhibit square pyramidal geometry, where Schiff base and bipy/phen act as NNO and as NN donor ligands, respectively. CT (Calf thymus)-DNA-binding studies revealed that the complexes bind through intercalative mode and show good binding propensity (intrinsic binding constant K(b): 0.98×10(5), 2.22×10(5), and 2.67×10(5) M(-1) for 1-3, resp.). The oxidative and hydrolytic DNA-cleavage activity of these complexes has been studied by gel electrophoresis: all the complexes displayed chemical nuclease activity in the presence and absence of H(2)O(2). From the kinetic experiments, hydrolytic DNA cleavage rate constants were determined as 2.48, 3.32, and 4.10 h(-1) for 1-3, respectively. It amounts to (0.68-1.14)×10(8)-fold rate enhancement compared to non-catalyzed DNA cleavage, which is impressive. The complexes display binding and cleavage propensity to DNA in the order of 3>2>1.