title: Substituent effects on the biological properties of Zn-salophen complexes.
abstract: The synthesis, characterization, and luminescent properties of a series of 5,5'-X-substituted salophen ligands, X = OCH3, Br, and NO2, and the corresponding Zn(II) complexes are reported here. Their biological activity has been analyzed and related to the different Lewis acid character of the complexes. In vitro studies (AFM and absorption and emission titrations) show that the strongest interaction with free plasmid DNA is observed for 5,5'-dinitro-substituted Zinc-salophen complex 3b. Semiempirical theoretical calculations together with redox potential measurements suggest that this might be interpreted as a direct consequence of this compound having the hardest Lewis acid character. Cellular uptake and cytotoxicity studies undertaken with these metal complexes show that they enter the cells but are not cytotoxic.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Chimica and IMC-CNR Sezione Meccanismi di Reazione, Università La Sapienza, Box 34 Roma 62, 00185 Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Giannicchi
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Brissos
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.forename: Joaquin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: de Lapuente
authors.forename: João Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dalla Cort
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rodríguez
mesh_terms: D016475:3T3 Cells; D000818:Animals; D004247:DNA / Q000737:chemistry; D058116:Lewis Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008958:Models, Molecular; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry*; D010957:Plasmids / Q000737:chemistry; D012459:Salicylates / Q000737:chemistry*; D015032:Zinc / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D058116:Lewis Acids; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D012459:Salicylates; C090416:salophen; D004247:DNA; D015032:Zinc