Two ionic oxo-vanadate and dioxo-molybdate complexes of dinitro-aroylhydrazone derivative: Effective catalysts for epoxidation reactions, biological activity, ctDNA binding, density functional theory, and in silico investigations

To meet the ecological demand for synthesis of ecofriendly metalated organic compounds, two new green dinitro-aroylhydrazone derivatives (HLZNa) were used for the synthesis of vanadate(IV) and cis-molybdate(VI) complexes (VOLZNa and MoO(2)LZNa). The N,O-bidentate ligand and its M-pincer chelates were characterized using various spectroscopic tools. Infrared spectra exhibited a high shift of the CH=N band with the disappearance of the O-H band of HLZNa after its coordination with V4+ and Mo6+ in VOLZNa and MoO(2)LZNa, respectively. H-1 NMR spectra supported this observation for HLZNa compared with that of MoO(2)LZNa for the spectral signal of CH=N and O-H groups. In the UV-Vis. spectra, VOLZNa showed an additional spectral band at 741 nm for the d -> d transition, which accomplished such complexation. Catalytically, VOLZNa exhibited slightly more catalytic action, with 92% yield after 2 h, compared with the MoO(2)LZNa catalyst (4 h with 92% yield) in the oxygenation of 1,2-cyclooctene, that is, the epoxidation, at 90 degrees C. A strong reversible electrochemical behavior of VOLZNa (V4+/V(5+)redox couple) enhanced the catalytic action of VOLZNa over MoO(2)LZNa, which is supported by spectroscopic analysis. The biological behavior of HLZNa, VOLZNa, and MoO(2)LZNa was examined through their binding ability to ctDNA via UV-Vis. spectroscopy and hydrodynamic measurements. Spectroscopically, the derived binding constant of VOLZNa and MoO(2)LZNa (K-b = 4.45 and 5.01 x 10(8) mol(-1) dm(3), respectively) was higher than that of the free ligand (HLZNa, 2.88 x 10(8) mol(-1) dm(3)), which is attributed to their reactivity toward ctDNA. Also, the Gibbs free energy values ( increment Gb not equal$$ \Delta {G}_b<^>{\ne } $$) for such an interaction illustrated their high potential against ctDNA over their ligand (-31.14, -32.22, and -32.52 kJ/mol for HLZNa, VOLZNa, and MoO(2)LZNa, respectively). The metal ions (V4+ and Mo6+) in VOLZNa and MoO(2)LZNa, respectively, improved their antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antitumor activities over the free ligand. The structures of the current compounds were further elucidated using the DFT/B3LYP method, which confirmed the mode of bonding depending on the distribution of the coordinating functional groups. Some physical parameters were estimated to evaluate the probability of these compounds' reactivity biologically and catalytically. The catalytic role of the MoO(2)LZNa complex was confirmed computationally. The in vitro obtains regarding the antimicrobial activity of the M-chelates were tested using in silico approaches. The outcomes reflected the high conformity of VOLZNa as an effective antimicrobial reagent.