Zinc(II) complexes of carboxamide derivatives: Crystal structures and interaction with calf thymus DNA

Two mononuclear zinc(II) complexes of newly designed carboxamide derivatives, formulated as [Zn(L1)3](ClO4)2 (1) and [Zn(L2)3](ClO4)2 (2) [where L1 = N-(furan-2-ylmethyl)-2-pyridinecarboxamide and L2 = N-(thiophen-2-ylmethyl)-2-pyridine-carboxamide], have been isolated in pure form in the reaction of perchlorate salts of Zn(II) with ligands L1 and L2, respectively. The two complexes were characterized by physicochemical and spectroscopic tools, and by X-ray crystal structures of both ligands and the complex 1. In complex 1, zinc(II) is chelated by three ligands with a distorted octahedral geometry. The DNA-binding properties of zinc complexes 1 and 2 have been investigated by spectroscopic methods and viscosity measurements. The results suggest that both complexes 1 and 2 bind to DNA in an intercalation mode between the uncoordinated furan or thiophene chromophore and the base pairs of DNA.