Effect of fluorinated ligand on structural, electronic and DNA-binding properties of copper paddlewheel complex: synthesis, structure and properties

Abstract

This paper presents synthesis, structural description and properties of a binuclear paddlewheel copper(II) carboxylate complex with formula [(py)Cu(μ-L)₄Cu(py)], where py = pyridine and L =  4-fluorophenylacetate. Structural characteristics, electronic absorption and DNA-binding properties of the synthesized complex have been compared to those of the non-fluorinated analogues (where F is replaced by H, –CH₃ and –OCH₃) already reported and the modifications successfully ascribed to fluorine. The complex exhibits typical paddlewheel structure and there are two crystallographically independent molecules in the unit cell. The electronic absorption spectrum of complex is also different and the mode and extent of DNA-binding ability of complex are significantly altered owing to the presence of suitably substituted fluorine. The effect of fluorine is clearly manifested in the modified properties of synthesized complex.