New s‐block complexes of 1,10‐phenanthroline and 1,3‐benzothizole‐2‐thiolate inhibit urease in silico and in vitro.

The coordination chemistry of 1,10‐phenanthroline (phen) and sodium 1,3‐benzothiazole‐2‐thiolate (SBT) with selected s‐block elements has been investigated. Four metal complexes were prepared and their structures were characterized using a variety of analytical techniques including infrared, UV–visible, 1H NMR and 13C NMR spectroscopies, elemental analysis, mass spectrometry and single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction. The reactions of phen and SBT with M(X)n (M = K(I), Cs(I), Mg(II), Sr(II); X = OH−, CO3−, Cl−; n = 1, 2) in MeOH–H2O yielded one‐dimensional chains of both potassium [K2(phen)2(BT)2(H2O)4]n (1) and caesium [Cs(phen)(BS)(H2O)]n (2) (where BT = 1,3‐benzthiazole‐2‐thiolate and BS = 1,3‐benzthiazole‐2‐sulfinothiolate) and mononuclear complexes of both magnesium {[Mg(phen)(H2O)4](BT)2·phen} (3) and strontium {[Sr(phen)2(H2O)4](BT)2} (4). In these complexes, phen binds via an N,N′ chelate pocket, while the monoanonic BT− ligands either coordinate in a bidentate fashion (in the case of 1) or remain uncoordinated (in the case of 3 and 4). In complex 2, SBT ligand was oxidized in situ into a new BS ligand. The sulfinothiolate oxygen atoms in BS coordinate with caesium in a tridentate fashion. Complexes 1–4 were evaluated against urease for enzyme inhibition. The complexes displayed significant inhibition with IC50 values in the range 10.8–45.8 μM. In order to examine the structure–activity relationship, the complexes were docked at the active site of urease. Docking results clearly demonstrate the binding of each complex within the active site of the enzyme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]