Metal Interactions of Psychoactive Nitrogen-Containing Compounds: Coordination Chemistry, Structural Features, and Biological Activity

Psychoactive nitrogen-containing compounds represent a structurally diverse group of natural and synthetic molecules whose interactions with metal ions influence their physicochemical properties, biological activity, and analytical behavior. Although numerous studies have reported the synthesis of metal complexes, solution interactions, and metal-assisted analytical methods, the available knowledge remains scattered across compound classes and has not been comprehensively evaluated. This review summarizes advances in the coordination chemistry of psychoactive nitrogen-containing compounds from ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, and the Cambridge Structural Database (CSD), emphasizing donor atoms, coordination modes, structural diversity, crystallographic characterization, spectroscopic and computational investigations, and the biological properties of the resulting metal complexes. The current literature demonstrates that metal complexation can alter molecular geometry, electronic structure, redox behavior, biomolecular recognition, and pharmacological activity, while also offering opportunities to develop compounds with enhanced antimicrobial, anticancer, antioxidant, and DNA-binding properties. By integrating coordination behavior, structural, and biological aspects within a single framework, this review highlights the central role of metal interactions in psychoactive compounds and identifies emerging opportunities to develop advanced analytical methodologies and functional metal-based systems.