Antioxidant, DNA interaction, molecular docking and cytotoxicity studies of aminoethylpiperazine‐containing macrocyclic binuclear copper(II) complexes

A series of new macrocyclic binuclear copper(II) complexes of the type [Cu 2 L 1–5 (ClO 4 )](ClO 4 ) ( 1 – 5 ) were synthesized by template condensation between precursor compounds 2,6‐bis(4‐aminoethylpiperazin‐1‐ylmethyl)‐4‐substituted phenols and 2,6‐diformyl‐4‐substituted phenols. The synthesized precursors and complexes were characterized using regular physicochemical techniques. The rate constant values obtained for the hydrolysis of 4‐nitrophenylphosphate were in the range 1.83 × 10 −2 –4.19 × 10 − 2 min −1 . Antioxidant studies against 2,2′‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl revealed the antioxidant potency of the synthesized complexes. Binding studies of the complexes with calf thymus DNA were conducted using electronic, viscometric and voltammetric techniques, and the obtained results suggested a non‐covalent groove mode of binding. The oxidative cleavage of pBR322 DNA in the presence of co‐reactant H 2 O 2 and radical scavengers showed single strand scission and involvement of H 2 O 2 radical in the cleavage process. Molecular docking studies were performed to insert complexes into the crystal structures of 1BNA and VEGFR kinase at active sites to determine the possible binding mode and predominant binding interactions. In vitro cytotoxicity of the complexes was tested against human epidermoid carcinoma cells (A431) by MTT assay, which revealed the effective anticancer activity of the complexes. Live cell and fluorescent imaging of A431 cells showed that the complexes induce cell death through apoptosis.