Synthesis, spectral, antitumor and antimicrobial studies on Cu(II) complexes of purine and triazole Schiff base derivatives

A series of copper (II) complexes of Schiff bases derived from 7H-2,6-diaminopurine and 4H-3,5-diamino-1,2,4-triazole with 2-pyridinecarbaldehyde, salicylaldehyde, 2,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde and 2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde have been prepared. The donor atoms and the possible geometry of the complexes were investigated by means of elemental and thermal analyses, molar conductance, magnetic moment, UV-Vis, IR, ESR and mass spectra. The ligands behaved as tetradentate, coordinating through the nitrogen atom of the azomethine group and the nearest nitrogen atom to it or oxygen atom of α-hydroxyl group. The results of simultaneous DTA & TGA analyses of the complexes showed the final degradation product for these complexes is CuO. The spectral studies confirmed a four coordinate environment around the metal ion. The obtained results were supported by 3D molecular modeling of complexes using molecular mechanics (MM+) and semiempirical molecular orbital calculations (PM3). These complexes were also tested for their in vitro antimicrobial activities against some bacterial and fungal strains. Complex 2 was investigated for its cyctotoxic effect against human breast cancer (MCF7), liver carcinoma (HEPG2) and colon carcinoma cell lines (HCT116). This compound exhibited a moderate activity against the tested cell lines with IC50 of 10.3, 9.8 and 8.7 μg/ml against MCF7, HCT116 and HEPG2, respectively.