Synthesis, physicochemical and biological characterization of Ni(II) complex with imidazole-4-acetate anion as new antifungal agent

The neutral mononuclear nickel(II) complex with an imidazole-4-acetate anion (iaa), having the formula $$[\hbox {Ni(iaa)}_{2}(\hbox {H}_{{2}}\hbox {O})_{2}]{\cdot }\hbox {H}_{{2}}\hbox {O}$$ , was characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, IR, farIR, UV-Vis-NIR spectra and magnetic measurements. The imidazole-4-acetate anion in this complex is a chelating ligand where an azomethine nitrogen atom of the imidazole ring and carboxylate oxygen atoms are donor atoms. The immediate environment of the central nickel(II) ion is described by distorted cis-octahedron ( $$\hbox {NiN}_{{2}}\hbox {O}_{4}$$ chromophore). The analysis of biological properties of $$[\hbox {Ni(iaa)}_{2}(\hbox {H}_{{2}}\hbox {O})_{2}] {\cdot } \hbox {H}_{{2}}\hbox {O}$$ complex has shown that this complex at non-cytotoxic concentration against normal human BEAS-2B cell has antifungal properties. The biophysical studies have shown that of [ $$[\hbox {Ni(iaa)}_{2}(\hbox {H}_{{2}}\hbox {O})_{2}] {\cdot } \hbox {H}_{{2}}\hbox {O}$$ ] interacts with DNA without degradation and with BSA as a model protein. SYNOPSIS Synthesis and characterization of neutral mononuclear nickel(II) complex with imidazole-4-acetate anion (iaa) is reported. The results suggest that $$[\hbox {Ni(iaa)}_{2}(\hbox {H}_{{2}}\hbox {O})_{2}] {\cdot } \hbox {H}_{{2}}\hbox {O}$$ complex interacts weakly with DNA via weak intercalative or groove binding mode. The ability of nickel(II) complex to bind to protein (BSA) has been confirmed in this study. From biological point of view, $$[\hbox {Ni(iaa)}_{2}(\hbox {H}_{{2}}\hbox {O})_{2}] {\cdot } \hbox {H}_{{2}}\hbox {O}$$ complex has antifungal properties at non-cytotoxic concentration against normal human cell line.