Synthesis of zinc phthalocyanine complex containing tetra propanoic acid groups: Electronic properties and inhibitory effects on some metabolic enzymes

•Characterization and synthesis of a new zinc(II) phthalocyanine and starting compound.•Investigation of fluorescence and quantum properties.•Enzyme inhibition properties of phthalocyanine complex.•Molecular docking of complex against AChE, BChE, α-Gly-and α-Amy was studied. In the new study, first the synthesis and characterization of 2, 10, 16, 24-Tetrakis-3-(phenoxy) propanoic acid phthalocyaninato zinc (II)(4) and its starting compound are presented. The aggregation properties of compound (4) were investigated with the UV–visible spectrum, and the excitation and emission properties were investigated with the fluorescence spectra. The new compounds were characterized by IR, UV-visible, Mass and 1H NMR spectroscopy. These 3-(3,4-dicyanophenoxy) propanoic acid (3) and compound (4) had effective inhibition against α-glycosidase, α-amylase, butyrylcholinesterase and acetylcholinesterase. IC50 values were found as 4.21–6.57 µM for AChE, 0.32–1.88 µM for BChE, 47.14–62.07 µM for α-amylase, and 13.41–21.82 µM for α-glycosidase. By molecular docking study, compared to reference compounds (tacrine and acarbose) of compound (4) [-9.25 kcal/mol for AChE; -9.30 kcal/mol for BChE; -6.50 kcal/mol for α-amylase and -8.49 kcal/mol for α-glycosidase seem to be more effective and promising. Drug development for the treatment of diabetes, hyperglycemia, and obesity has as one of its design goals the creation of molecules that are α-amylase and α-glycosidase inhibitors. As a result, compound (4) can have promising anti Alzheimer drug potential and record as novel anti-diabetic inhibitors.