Bis(maltolato)vanadium(III)-polypyridyl complexes: synthesis, characterization, DNA cleavage, and insulin mimetic activity.

Four vanadium(III) complexes of the general formula [V(maltol)(2)(N-N)]ClO(4), where N-N is 2,2'-bipyridine (bpy) (1); 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) (2); dipyrido[3,2-d:2',3'-f]quinoxaline (dpq) (3), and dipyrido[3,2-a:2',3'-c]phenazine (dppz) (4), have been synthesized and characterized by IR, UV-visible, NMR spectroscopies, and electrospray ionization mass spectra (ESI-MS). The complexes exhibit the typical (1)H NMR spectra for paramagnetic V(III) species. The structures of complexes 1, 2, and 3 were characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction. All complexes are monomeric and cationic containing V(III) species ligated to one neutral polypyridyl ligand and two monoanionic bidentate maltolate ligands with a distorted octahedral geometry. The complexes show an irreversible redox peak around +0.80 V versus Ag/AgCl corresponding to one-electron oxidation of V(III) to V(IV). The time-resolved UV-visible spectral changes for the complexes during the electrolysis in acetonitrile solution at +1.0 V are consistent with one-electron oxidation of the complexes to yield the stable V(IV) species. All complexes cleave plasmid pBR322 DNA without the addition of any external agents. In vitro insulin mimetic activity against insulin responsive RIN 5f cells indicates that complex 1 has similar activity to insulin while the others have moderate insulin mimetic activity.