Synthesis, spectral characterization, DFT calculations, pharmacological studies, CT-DNA binding and molecular docking of potential N, O-multidentate chelating ligand and its VO(II), Zn(II) and ZrO(II) chelates

[Display omitted] •New (H2L) ligand derived from phenylenediamine has been synthesized and characterized.•Zr(IV), V(IV), Zn(II)-chelates have been synthesized and characterized using analytical and spectroscopic tools.•Excellent antimicrobial activity was observed against various Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.•Metal chelates showed higher potent cytotoxic effect compared to the H2L ligand.•CT-DNA binding ability followed the order: VOL > ZrOL > ZnL(H2O)2.•The new complexes have better radical scavenging potencies against DPPH radicals than H2L ligand. The pharmacological efficacy of the variety tetradentate ligands encouraged us to design attractive compounds through effective synthetic procedure. The prepared Schiff base ligand 6,6′-((1E,1′E)-((4-chloro-1,2-phenylene)bis(azaneylylidene))bis(methaneylylidene))bis(2-ethoxy phenol (H2L), which derived from 4-chloro-o-phenylenediamine and 3-ethoxy-salicylaldehyde and its VO(II), Zn(II) and ZrO(II) metal chelates, have been synthesized and characterized with aim of that it may struggle the invasion of drug resistance. The chemical structural of studied compounds were discussed by TGA, elemental analysis, UV–Vis., 1H NMR, 13C NMR, FTIR, mass spectral, PXRD, molar conductance, magnetic susceptibility measurements and density functional theory. The results assigned square pyramid geometries for [VOL] and [ZrOL].2H2O chelates and an octahedral geometry for [ZnL(H2O)2].2H2O chelate. Powder XRD data showed that the complexes are monoclinic with polycrystalline nature. The results of CT-DNA interaction with the titled chelates showed that the binding between CT-DNA and the metal complexes occurs through intercalation mode. Their CT-DNA binding efficiency estimated in terms of their binding constants (Kb), which gave the order: VOL (6.9 × 105) > ZrOL (6.3 × 105) > ZnL(H2O)2 (5.5 × 105). The antimicrobial activities of the synthesized compounds were tested against selected fungal and bacterial strains using well diffusion technique. The obtained chelates showed higher antifungal and antibacterial activities than their corresponding ligand. Furthermore, the M−complexes showed higher potent cytotoxic effect toward HEK-293, human colorectal HepG-2, HCT-116 and MCF-7 adenocarcinoma cell lines compared to the free H2L ligand. Investigation of antioxidant property represented that all the prepared complexes have better radical scavenging potencies against DPPH radicals than the free H2L ligand. To study the molecu