Selective Novel Metal-Coordinated Biomedical Agents Encompassing Tetradentate Salen Ligand: Structural Elucidation, DFT Calculation, Cytotoxic, and Antioxidant Activities Supported by Molecular Docking Approach

Several physicochemical and analytical methods were employed to elucidate the structural analysis of some novel complexes derived from the {3,4-bis-[(3-ethoxy-2-hydroxy-benzylidene)-amino]-phenyl}-phenyl-methanone (ESAB ligand). Decomposition point determination, elemental analysis (CHN), spectroscopy (IR, NMR, and mass spectrometry), conductivity, magnetic susceptibility, UV–Vis spectrum study, and theoretical investigations were among these methods. With conductance values ranging from 7.5 to 15.12 Ω⁻¹ cm² mol⁻¹, molar conductance values showed that the Zn (II), Cu (II), and Ru (III) complexes are nonelectrolytes in fresh DMSO solutions, with the exception of the ESABRu complex, which is a monoelectrolyte. According to IR spectra, the ligand uses the (N & O) donor sites from the (C=N & C-O) groups in the ligand moiety to coordinate through the metal ions in a tetradentate form. A 1:1 (metal:ligand) molar ratio was proposed by Job's approach based on analytical data from solution complexation. According to the stability constant (K_f) values, the complexes' stability order was found to be ESABRu > ESABCu > ESABZn. The pH profile showed that the complexes under study are stable throughout a broad pH range, usually between pH = 4 and pH = 10. The complexes' geometric structures and ligand coordination capabilities were inferred with the use of magnetic and electronic spectrum studies. The DFT method uses quantum chemical simulations to evaluate the electronic structures of the ligand under investigation and its complexes. The unbound ligand's B3LYP level, B3LYP/6/311G* degree, and the complexes' B3LYP/6/311G**/LANL2DZ functional categories were employed in the computations of the density function concept (DFT). The findings revealed the consistency between the experimental and DFT computations. Natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis was used to investigate bond strength between molecules' charge exchange, hyperconjugative connections, and molecular equilibrium. By computing the hyperpolarizability (β) and molecular polarizability (α) parameters, the ensuing nonlinear optical properties were investigated, leading to a number of surprising optical properties for the produced compounds. The antipathogenic activity of the generated materials was experimentally verified against a subset of gram (+) and gram (−) bacteria as well as some fungi using the agar well diffusion method. Additionally, hepatic cellular carcinomas, cells from colon and breast cancer, were utilized to test the cytotoxic activity of the ESAB ligand and its metal chelates. Furthermore, the examined compounds' ability to suppress the DPPH radical was examined. Additionally, simulations of molecular docking were performed to ascertain how the produced compounds attached to the specific protein binding sites.