Synthesis, characterization, molecular modeling and antioxidant activity of Girard′s T thiosemicarbazide and its complexes with some transition metal ions

•Preparation of VO2+, Co2+, Ni2+, Cu2+, Zn2+ and UO22+complexes of thiosemicarbazide.•Elemental analysis, spectral characterization of the ligands and their complexes.•Thermal behavior of the solid metal complexes was studied using TGA technique.•The compounds were screened for antioxidant activity and cytotoxicity.

The chelation behavior of N-{[(allylamino) thiomethyl] hydrazinocarbonylmethyl} trimethylammonium chloride (H3ATHC) towards VO2+, Co2+, Ni2+, Cu2+, Zn2+ and UO22+ ions have been studied. The structures of the complexes were elucidated using elemental analyses, spectral (IR, UV–visible, 1H NMR and ESR and mass) as well as magnetic and thermal measurements. The ligand acted as ON bidentate, ONS tridentate donor forming mononuclear complexes. A tetrahedral geometry for Co2+, square-planar for Ni2+ and Cu2+, an octahedral for Zn2+ and a square-pyramidal arrangement for VO2+ complexes were proposed, respectively. The EPR spectra of Cu2+ and VO2+ complexes confirmed the suggested geometries with values of α2 and β2 indicating that the in-plane σ-bonding and in-plane π-bonding are appreciably covalent, and were consistent with very strong in-plane σ bonding in the complexes. Also, the bond length, bond angle, HOMO, LUMO, dipole moment and charges on the atoms have been calculated. Also, the thermal behavior and kinetic parameters were determined using Coats–Redfern and Horowitz–Metzger methods. Furthermore, the synthesized compounds were screened for their superoxide-scavenging activity in the PMS/NADH-NBT system as well as their scavenging effect on ABTS (2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethyl benzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl(DPPH) radicals. Among these compounds, the ligand and Zn2+ complex, exhibited the potent ABTS (2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethyl benzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radical scavenging activity, comparable to that of vitamin C.

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