Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug diflunisal interacting with Cu(II). Structure and biological features

Copper(II) complexes with the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug diflunisal in the presence of N,N-dimethylformamide or nitrogen donor heterocyclic ligands (pyridine, 1,10-phenanthroline, 2,2′-bipyridine or 2,2′-bipyridylamine) have been synthesized and characterized. The deprotonated diflunisal ligands are coordinated to Cu(II) ion through carboxylato oxygen atoms. The crystal structures of tetrakis(diflunisal)bis(N,N-dimethylformamide)dicopper(II)] 1 and bis(diflunisal)bis(pyridine)copper(II)], 2 have been determined by X-ray crystallography and are the first reported crystal structures of diflunisal complexes. UV study of the interaction of the complexes with calf-thymus DNA (CT DNA) suggests binding of the complexes to CT DNA with the dinuclear tetrakis(diflunisal)bis(N,N-dimethylformamide)dicopper(II)] compound exhibiting the highest binding constant, K_b. Intercalative binding mode may also be concluded using cyclic voltammetry and solution viscosity measurements of the complexes in the presence of CT DNA. Competitive studies with ethidium bromide (EB) indicate that the complexes can displace the DNA-bound EB suggesting competition with EB. Diflunisal and its complexes exhibit good binding propensity to human or bovine serum albumin protein showing relatively high binding constant values.