Synthesis, crystal structure and nuclease activity of a Cu(II) complex having two different co-ordination geometries in the same unit cell

The Cu (II) complex of a Schiff base ligand having N2O donor set has been synthesized and fully characterized through its single crystal X-ray studies which showed two different coordination patterns viz. square planar and square pyramidal within the same unit cell. The same exhibited functional mimicking of nuclease activity by cleaving the plasmid pBR 322 DNA. [Display omitted] •A new Cu(II) complex has been characterized through its single crystal X-ray studies.•The same showed square planar and square pyramidal geometries in the same unit cell.•The nuclease mimicking activity was exhibited by the same Cu(II) complex.•The DNA binding was also investigated through UV–vis, fluorescence and CV studies. A new Cu(II) complex of a Schiff base ligand having N2O donor set has been synthesized and fully characterized through its single crystal X-ray studies. Two different co-ordination patterns viz. square planar and square pyramidal for Cu(II) were observed within the same unit cell. The DNA binding of copper(II) complex was investigated through UV–vis, fluorescence as well as cyclic voltammetric studies. The complex exhibited efficient functional mimicking of nuclease activity over the plasmid pBR322 DNA.