Synthesis, Superoxide Dismutase Mimetic and Anticancer Activities of Metal Complexes of 2,2‐Dimethylpentanedioic Acid(2dmepdaH2) and 3,3‐Dimethylpentanedioic acid(3dmepdaH2): X‐Ray Crystal Structures of [Cu(3dmepda)(bipy)]2 · 6H2O and [Cu(2dmepda)(bipy)(EtOH)]2 · 4EtOH(bipy=2, 2′Bipyridine)

2,2-dimethylpentanedioic acid ( 2dmepdaH 2 ) and 3,3-dimethylpentanedioic acid ( 3dmepdaH 2 ) reacted with copper(II) acetate to give [Cu(2dmepda)(H 2 O) 3 ] 2 ( 1 ) and [Cu(3dmepda)(H 2 O) 3 ] 2 ( 2 ). Reaction of ( 1 ) and ( 2 ) with 1,10-phenanthroline and 2,2′-bipyridine yielded [Cu(2dmepda)(phen)(H 2 O)] 2 0.5phen ( 3 ), [Cu(2dmepda)(bipy)(H 2 O)] 2 ( 4 ), [Cu(2dmepda)(bipy)(EtOH)] 2 · 2EtOH ( 4A ), [Cu(3dmepda)(phen)(H 2 O)] 2 ( 5 ), and [Cu(3dmepda)(bipy)(H 2 O)] 2 · ( 6 ) . The structures of ( 4A ) and ( 6 ) each consists of a [Cu(bipy)(dicarboxylate)(solvent)] 2 dimer. The superoxide dismutase (SOD) mimetic activity of the novel copper complexes and their manganese analogues was investigated. The dimethyl sulphoxide(DMSO) soluble complexes ( 1 )–( 4 ) and ( 6 ) were assessed for their cancer chemotherapeutic potential towards hepatocellular carcinoma and kidney adenocarcinoma cell lines. The 1,10-phenanthroline containing complex [Cu(2dmepda)(phen)(H 2 O)] 2 0.5phen ( 3 ) was the most potent with activity that compares well to that of cis platin.