Exploring the antioxidant, antimicrobial, cytotoxic and biothermodynamic properties of novel morpholine derivative bioactive Mn(ii), Co(ii) and Ni(ii) complexes - combined experimental and theoretical measurements towards DNA/BSA/SARS-CoV-2 3CL.

A novel class of bioactive complexes (1-3) [M(L)(bpy)], where, L = 2-(4-morpholinobenzylideneamino)phenol, bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine, M = Mn (1), Co (2) or Ni (3), were assigned to octahedral geometry based on analytical and spectral measurements. Gel electrophoresis showed that complex (2) demonstrated significant DNA cleavage activity compared to the other complexes under the action of oxidation agent (HO). The DNA binding constant properties measured by various techniques were in the following sequence: (2) > (3) > (1) > (), which suggests that the complexes might intercalate DNA, a possibility that is also supported by their biothermodynamic characteristics.