CYTOTOXICITY AND ANTIVIRAL ACTIVITY OF TRANSITION-METAL SALICYLATO COMPLEXES AND CRYSTAL-STRUCTURE OF BIS(DIISOPROPYLSALICYLATO)(1,10-PHENANTHROLINE)COPPER(II)

Complexes of Cu(II), Fe(III), Co(II), Ni(II), Ti(IV) and Zn(II) with 3,5-disubstituted salicylates, and ternary complexes of Cu(II) containing substituted phenanthrolines have been prepared and characterised. The crystal structure of bis(diisopropylsalicylato)(1,10-phenanthroline)copper(II), [Cu(phen)(Hdips)2], has been determined; Cu(II) is in a tetragonal co-ordination environment with in-plane bonds to 2 nitrogens from phen [Cu-N 2.014(4) angstrom] and 2 oxygens from the carboxylates of Hdips [Cu-01.951 (3) angstrom], with weaker off-axial bonds to carboxylate oxygens [Cu-O 2.557(3) angstrom]. The hydroxyl oxygen of Hdips is not co-ordinated. These complexes have been tested for antiviral and cytotoxic activity. Most are potently cytotoxic, especially [Cu(dmphen)(Hdips)2], where dmphen is 2,9-dimethylphenanthroline.