Structural, Electrochemical, DNA Binding and Cleavage Properties of Nickel(II) Complex [Ni(H2biim)2(H2O)2]2+ of 2,2'-Biimidazole

A nickel(II) complex $[Ni(H_2biim)_2(H_2O)_2](ClO_4)_2{\cdot}H_2O$ (1) of biimidazole ligand has been synthesized and characterized (Where $H_2biim$ = 2,2'-biimidazole). The single crystal X-ray diffraction of the complex shows a dimeric structure with six coordinated psudo-octahedral geometry. The cyclic voltammograms of complex exhibited one quasireversible reduction wave ($E_{pc}=-0.61V$) and an irreversible oxidation wave ($E_{pa}=1.28V$) in DMF solution. The interaction of the complex with Calf-Thymus DNA (CT-DNA) has been investigated by absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy. The complex is an avid DNA binder with a binding constant value of $1.03{\times}10^5M^{-1}$. The results suggest that the nickel(II) complex bind to CT-DNA via intercalative mode and can quench the fluorescence intensity of EB bind to CT-DNA with $K_{app}$ value of $3.2{\times}10^5M^{-1}$. The complex also shown efficient oxidative cleavage of supercoiled pBR322 DNA in the presence of hydrogen peroxide as oxidizing agent. The DNA cleavage by complex in presence of quenchers; viz. DMSO, KI, $NaN_3$ and EDTA reveals that hydroxyl radical or singlet oxygen mechanism is involved. The complex showed invitro antimicrobial activity against four bacteria and two fungi. The antimicrobial activity was nearer to that of standard drugs and greater than that of the free ligand.