Structural, DFT and biological studies on Co(II) complexes of semi and thiosemicarbazide ligands derived from diketo hydrazide

• Synthesis of (H2PAPS), (H2PAPT), (H2PABT) and their Co(II) complexes.
• Experimental IR spectra of ligands are compared with those obtained theoretically from DFT calculations.
• The free ligands showed a higher antibacterial and antitumor effect than their Co(II) complexes.

Three ligands have been prepared by addition ethanolic suspension of 2-hydrazino-2-oxo-N-phenyl-acetamide to phenyl isocyanate (H2PAPS), phenyl isothiocyanate (H2PAPT) and benzoyl isothiocyanate (H2PABT). The Co(II) chloride complexes were prepared and characterized by conventional techniques. The isolated complexes were assigned the formulaes, [Co(HPAPS)Cl(H2O)2]H2O, [Co(HPAPT)Cl]H2O and [Co(H2PABT)Cl2], respectively. The IR spectra of complexes shows that H2PAPS behaves as a mononegative tridentate via CO of hydrazide moiety and enolized CO of hydrazide moiety and CN (azomethine) group due to enolization of CO isocyanate moiety. H2PAPT behaves as mononegative tridentate via one CO of hydrazide moiety and thiol CS and NH groups and finally H2PABT behaves as neutral tetradentate via one CO of hydrazide moiety, CO of benzoyl moiety, CS due to enolization of the second CO of hydrazide moiety and new CN (azomethine) groups. The vibrational frequencies of the IR spectra of ligands which were determined experimentally are compared with those obtained theoretically from DFT calculations. Also, the bond lengths, bond angles, HOMO, LUMO and dipole moments have been calculated. The calculated HOMO–LUMO energy gap reveals that charge transfer occurs within the ligand molecules. The calculated values of binding energies indicates the stability of metal complexes is higher that of ligand. Also, the kinetic and thermodynamic parameters for the different thermal degradation steps of the complexes were determined by Coats–Redfern and Horowitz–Metzger methods. The antibacterial activities were also tested against Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli bacteria. The free ligands showed a higher antibacterial effect than their Co(II) complexes except [Co(HPAPS)Cl(H2O)2]H2O which shows higher activity than corresponding ligand. The antitumor activities of the Ligands and their Co(II) complexes have been evaluated against liver (HePG2) and breast (MCF-7) cancer cells. All ligands were found to display cytotoxicity that are better than that of Fluorouracil (5-FU), while Co(II) complexes show low activity except [Co(HPAPS)Cl(H2O)2]H2O which showed higher activity than corresponding ligand.