Synthesis, characterization, DFT, biological activity evaluation, and molecular docking analysis of new 8-[(2-hydroxynaphthalen-1-yl)diazenyl]naphthalene-1,3-disulfonic acid based complexes

Three novel metal complexes of 2‑hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde azine (HNANSA) with iron(III), nickel(II), and copper(II) have been synthesized and characterized. Various analytical methods, such as elemental analysis, infrared spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy, conductivity, magnetic testing, and thermal analysis, have been used to determine the structural and physical properties of the HNANSA and its metal complexes. The results indicated that; the HNANSA acts as a monobasic bi-dentate NO donor ligand and that the metal complexes contain water molecules in different patterns. Also, density functional theory (DFT) calculations have been performed to confirm the molecular structures and to study the quantum chemical parameters of the HNANSA and its metal complexes. Furthermore, the antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant activities of the HNANSA and its metal complexes have been in vitro evaluated. The findings revealed that; the metal complexes have higher bioactivty than the free HNANSA ligand. Furthermore, molecular docking analyses have been performed against 2VF5 (Escherichia coli), 3CKU (Aspergillus flavus), 5IKT (Human Cyclooxygenase-2), and 5IJT (human peroxiredoxin 2), to estimate the binding affinities and interactions of the HNANSA and its metal complexes with target proteins. The results suggest that the HNANSA and its metal complexes may have potential applications in the development of new therapeutic agents.