Neutral and cationic nickel(II) complexes with substituted salicylaldehydes: Characterization, antibacterial activity, and interaction with biomacromolecules

Four neutral and six cationic nickel(II) complexes of the substituted salicylaldehydes (X–diCl–saloH), namely 3,5–dichloro–salicylaldehyde (3,5–diCl–saloH) and 5–fluoro–salicylaldehyde (5–F–saloH), were synthesized in the absence or presence of the N,N′–donors 1,10–phenanthroline (phen), 2,9–dimethyl–1,10–phenanthroline (neoc), or 2,2′–bipyridylamine (bipyam) as co–ligands and were characterized by various techniques. The obtained complexes bear the general formulas [Ni(X–salo)2(H2O)2], [Ni(3,5–diCl–salo)2(neoc/phen)] and [Ni(X–salo)(N,N′–donor)2](PF6). The crystal structures of three complexes were determined by single–crystal X–ray crystallography revealing a bidentate coordination of the salicylaldehydes. The interaction of the compounds with calf–thymus DNA was studied by diverse techniques which revealed an intercalative interaction for the neutral complexes [Ni(X–salo)2(H2O)2] and [Ni(3,5–diCl–salo)2(neoc/phen)]and the co–existence of electrostatic interactions for the cationic complexes [Ni(X–salo)(N,N′–donor)2](PF6). The compounds bind tightly and reversibly to serum albumins. The antibacterial activity of the compounds was investigated against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538, Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633, Escherichia coli NCTC 29,212 and Xanthomonas campestris ATCC 1395 and the complexes bearing neoc as co–ligand proved the most potent. [Display omitted] •Nickel(II) complexes with two substituted salicylaldehydes were characterized.•Neutral and cationic mononuclear Ni(II) complexes were isolated.•Three of the coordination compounds show noteworthy antimicrobial activity.•The complexes may bind reversibly to serum albumins.•The interaction of the complexes with calf-thymus DNA is tight.