Systematic characterization on electronic structures and spectra for a series of complexes, M(IDB)Cl2 (M = Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu and Zn): a theoretical study

Theoretical studies on the coordination stabilities, spectra and DNA-binding trend for the series of metal-varied complexes, M(IDB)Cl₂ (M = Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu and Zn; IDB = N, N -bis(2-benzimidazolylmethyl) amine), have been carried out by using the DFT/B3LYP method and PCM model. The calculated coordination stabilities (S) for these complexes present a trend of S(Ni) > S(Co) > S(Fe) > S(Cu) > S(Zn) > S(Mn). It has been estimated from the molecular orbital energies of the complexes that the DNA-binding affinities (A) of the complexes are in the order of A(Zn) < A(Mn) < A(Fe) ≈ A(Co) < A(Ni) < A(Cu). The studied results indicate that the Cu, Ni and Co complexes with large coordination stabilities present the low virtual orbitals, consequently yielding to the favorable DNA-binding affinities. The spectral properties of excitation energies and oscillator strengths for M(IDB)Cl₂ in the ultraviolet region were calculated by TD-DFT/B3LYP method.