Preparation and structural characterization of hetero-dinuclear Schiff base copper(II)–zinc(II) complexes and their inhibition studies on Helicobacter pylori urease

A series of hetero-dinuclear CuII–ZnII complexes, [CuZnCl2L1] (1), [CuZnCl2L2] (2), [CuZnBr2L3] (3), [CuZnBr2L4(DMF)] (4), [CuZnCl2L4] (5), [CuZnCl2L5] (6), [CuZnCl2L3] (7) and [CuZnBr2L1] (8), where L1, L2, L3, L4 and L5 are the deprotonated forms of N,N′-bis(3-ethoxysalicylidene)-1,3-propanediamine (H2L1), N,N′-bis(2-hydroxynaphthylmethylidene)-1,3-propanediamine (H2L2), N,N′-bis(3-methoxysalicylidene)-1,3-propanediamine (H2L3), N,N′-bis(salicylidene)-1,3-propanediamine (H2L4) and N,N′-bis(salicylidene)-1,4-butanediamine (H2L5), respectively, have been synthesized and characterized by physico-chemical methods and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The complexes were tested for their urease inhibitory activity. Complexes 1 and 8 show effective urease inhibitory activity with IC50 values of 2.2 and 10.7 μM. The molecular docking study of the complexes with the Helicobacter pylori urease was performed.

Graphical abstractA series of hetero-dinuclear CuII–ZnII complexes have been prepared and structurally characterized. The urease inhibitory activities were studied. Two of the complexes exhibit effective activity.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slideHighlights► A series of hetero-dinuclear Schiff base copper(II)–zinc(II) complexes have been synthesized. ► The complexes have been characterized by elemental analyses, IR spectra and single crystal X-ray diffraction. ► Two complexes show effective inhibitory activity against Helicobacter pylori urease. ► A molecular docking study of the complexes with the H. pylori urease was performed.