Synthesis, structure, characterization and study of antiproliferative activity of dimeric and tetrameric oxidomolybdenum(VI) complexes of N,N′-disalicyloylhydrazine

The in situ reaction of salicyloylhydrazide and its corresponding hydrazone with [MoO2(acac)2] afforded two novel and unusual dimeric [(MoVIO2)2L] (1) and tetrameric [{(C2H5OH)LO3Mo2VI}2(μ-O)2]·C2H5OH (2) oxidomolybdenum(VI) complexes with N,N′-disalicyloylhydrazine (H2L). The binucleating ligand was formed by the self-combination of the acid hydrazide or corresponding hydrazone. The complexes were characterized by various spectroscopic techniques (IR, UV and NMR) and also by electrochemical study. The molecular structures of both complexes have been confirmed by X-ray crystallography. The above studies indicate that the N,N′-disalicyloylhydrazine (H2L) has the normal tendency to form both dimeric and tetrameric complexes coordinated through the dianionic tridentate manner. The in vitro antiproliferative activity of complexes 1 and 2 was assayed against HeLa cell line.