DNA-binding properties and antioxidant activity of lanthanide complexes with the Schiff base derived from 3-carbaldehyde chromone and isonicotinyl hydrazine

Structural analyses indicate that the ligand and lanthanide ions form mononuclear 10-coordinate ([Ln L2 · (NO3)2] · NO3 [Ln(III) = La, Sm, Nd, and Yb; L is chromone-3-carbaldehyde-(isonicotinoyl) hydrazone) complexes with 1 : 2 metal-to-ligand stoichiometry. DNA-binding studies show that the ligand and its lanthanide complexes can bind to calf thymus DNA via an intercalation mode with binding constants of 105 (mol L−1)−1, and the lanthanide complexes bind stronger than the free ligand alone. Antioxidant activities of the ligand and lanthanide complexes were determined by superoxide and hydroxyl radical scavenging methods in vitro. The ligand and complexes possess strong scavenging effects, and the lanthanide complexes show stronger antioxidant activities than the ligand and some standard antioxidants, such as vitamin C.