Design and synthesis of Co(II) and Cu(II) complexes of a dendrimeric chelate: promising anticandidal potential of chelotherapeutic agents

<div><p>In response to an increasing demand for effective anticandidal agents, a new water-soluble dendrimeric ligand (L) was synthesized by Michael addition of ethylenediamine to methyl methacrylate. The prepared ligand was complexed with Cu(II) and Co(II) ions. Both the ligand and its complexes were characterized by elemental analysis and spectroscopic studies (FT-IR, UV–vis, ¹H NMR, and ESI-MS). Square-planar and square-pyramidal geometries were proposed for Cu(II) and Co(II) on the basis of UV–vis spectroscopic data and molar conductance measurements. The ligand and its Cu(II) and Co(II) complexes were screened on <i>Candida albicans</i> ATCC 90028 by determining MICs (minimal inhibitory concentrations) and inhibition in solid media (disk diffusion assay). Hemolysis assays on human RBCs indicated that the toxicity of the copper complex was lower as compared to fluconazole. These results taken with limited toxicity make them eligible for further development as antifungals.</p></div