Synthesis, Characterization and Biological Activity of Dioxouranium(VI) Complexes of Acyldipyridoxal Hydrazones

Four acyl dipyridoxal hydrozones ligands, H4PLn, have been prepared by condensing the ester of the diacids, hydrazine hydrate and pyridoxal hydrochloride in 1∶2∶2 molar ratio. The UO2 VI complexes of these ligands have been synthesized and characterized by various analytical and spectroscopic methods including X‐ray crystallography. The ligands and UO2 VI complexes have been tested for cytotoxicity. The solid‐state structure of [(UO2)4(PL1)2(H2O)4] · 12H2O has been found to be a cyclic tetramer and this may or may not represent the structure of the bulk sample. The structures of bulk 1–4 have been proposed to be polymeric. All the cytotoxicity testing was very kindly determined by Ms. Jiang Ling at the Biochemistry Department, National University of Singapore. We thank the National University of Singapore for funding this research.