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A series of latonduine and indoloquinoline derivatives HL 1 - HL 8 and their copper(II) complexes ( 1-8 ) were synthesized and comprehensively characterized. The structures of five compounds ( HL 6 , [CuCl(L 1 )(DMF)]·DMF , [CuCl(L 2 )(CH 3 OH)] , [CuCl(L 3 )]·0.5H 2 O , and [CuCl 2 (H 2 L 5 )]Cl·2DMF ) were elucidated by single crystal X-ray diffraction. The copper(II) complexes revealed low micro- to sub-micromolar IC 50 values with promising selectivity toward human colon adenocarcinoma multidrug-resistant Colo320 cancer cells as compared to the doxorubicin-sensitive Colo205 cell line. The lead compounds HL 4 and 4 as well as HL 8 and 8 induced apoptosis efficiently in Colo320 cells. In addition, the copper(II) complexes had higher affinity to DNA than their metal-free ligands. HL 8 showed selective inhibition for the PIM-1 enzyme, while 8 revealed strong inhibition of five other enzymes, i.e., SGK-1, PKA, CaMK-1, GSK3β, and MSK1, from a panel of 50 kinases. Furthermore, molecular modeling of the ligands and complexes showed a good fit to the binding pockets of these targets.

Three new thiosemicarbazones (TSCs) HL 1 - HL 3 as triapine analogues bearing a redox-active phenolic moiety at the terminal nitrogen atom were prepared. Reactions of HL 1 - HL 3 with CuCl 2 ·2H 2 O in anoxic methanol afforded three copper(II) complexes, namely, Cu(HL 1 )Cl 2 ( 1 ), [ Cu(L 2 )Cl] ( 2' ), and Cu(HL 3 )Cl 2 ( 3 ), in good yields. Solution speciation studies revealed that the metal-free ligands are stable as HL 1 - HL 3 at pH 7.4, while being air-sensitive in the basic pH range. In dimethyl sulfoxide they exist as a mixture of E and Z isomers. A mechanism of the E/Z isomerization with an inversion at the nitrogen atom of the Schiff base imine bond is proposed. The monocationic complexes [Cu(L 1 - 3 )] + are the most abundant species in aqueous solutions at pH 7.4. Electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical studies of 1 , 2' , and 3 confirmed their redox activity in both the cathodic and the anodic region of potentials. The one-electron reduction was identified as metal-centered by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroelectrochemistry. An electrochemical oxidation pointed out the ligand-centered oxidation, while chemical oxidations of HL 1 and HL 2 as well as 1 and 2' afforded several two-electron and four-electron oxidation products, which were isolated and comprehensively characterized. Complexes 1 and 2' showed an antiproliferative activity in Colo205 and Colo320 cancer cell lines with half-maximal inhibitory concentration values in the low micromolar concentration range, while 3 with the most closely related ligand to triapine displayed the best selectivity for cancer cells versus normal fibroblast cells (MRC-5). HL 1 and 1 in the presence of 1,4-dithiothreitol are as potent inhibitors of mR2 ribonucleotide reductase as triapine.