Biological activity of two new imidazole-based Cu(II) frameworks resulting from a one-pot reaction

Imidazole occurs in most proteins as part of the side chain of histidine and constitutes a binding site for various transition metal ions in a large number of metalloproteins [1]. Consequently, the bonding between imidazole and transition metal ions is widely known [2] and of considerable interest especially in biological systems [3,4]. Consequently, copper(II)–imidazole systems with different ratios of imidazole to copper have been prepared and investigated by several researchers [5]. Moreover, being studied as models for copper proteins that contain both functionalities in the side chain [6], some mononuclear copper(II)–imidazole complexes with carboxylate ligands have been found to display a variety of pharmacological effects, including antitumor [7], superoxide dismutase and catecholase activities [8]. In order to contribute to the study of these systems, we have synthesized two new penta-coordinated copper(II) complexes with mixed-ligands, namely: imidazole and citric acid. The resulting compounds have shown remarkable antimicrobial and antifungal inhibition activities, which have been predicted by exploring the computational chemical reactivity of the two complexes [9].

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[9] Direm, A. Abdelbaky, M. S. M. Sayın, K. Cornia, A. Abosede, O. & García-Granda, S. (2018). Inorg. Chim. Acta. 478. 59–70.