DNA Binding and Cleavage Studies of Dichlorido[Bis(2-Ethyl-5-Methyl-1H-Imidazol-4-yl-κN3)Methane]Cobalt(II) Monohydrate

Abstract

The synthesized complex [Co(L) 2 Cl 2 ÁH 2 O] (L = 5,5 0 -bis(2-ethyl-4-methylimidazol)methane) crystallizes in the monoclinic system, space group P2(1)/m, with a = 8.3927(7), b = 12.1388(14), c = 8.5860(9) Å , a = 90.00, b = 97.0450(10), c = 90.00°, Z = 2, R 1 = 0.0420, wR 2 = 0.1018. The Co(II) lies on a mirror plane and displays a tetrahedral coordination with two N atoms of the imidazole ligand and two Cl atoms. The asymmetric unit also contains a solvate water molecule. The terminal C-atom of the ethyl group was disordered over two sites C6 and C6 0 with equal site occupancy factors. The interaction of the complex with calf thymus DNA has been studied using emission spectroscopy, circular dichroism and gel electrophoresis measurements. The results indicate that the title complex binds to double-stranded DNA through partial intercalation and can cleave DNA.