Synthesis and Characterization of Schiff Bases and Their Ag(I) Complexes Containing 2,5,6-Trisubstituted Imidazothiadiazole Derivatives: Molecular Docking and In Vitro Cytotoxic Effects Against Nonsmall Lung Cancer Cell Line

Abstract

In this study, four novels 2,5,6-trisubstituted imidazothiadiazole derivative ligands and their Ag(I) complexes were synthesized and characterized using various spectroscopic analysis techniques. First, imidazo[2,1-b][1,3,4]thiadiazole derivative (3) was obtained from the reaction of 5-amino-1,3,4-thiadiazole-2-thiol with benzyl bromide in the presence of KOH in an ethanolic medium. In the next step, the resultant compound reacted sequentially with four substituted phenacyl bromide derivatives (4a–4d) under refluxed ethanol for 24 h to obtain substituted 2-(benzylthio)-6-phenylimidazo[2,1-b][1,3,4]thiadiazole derivatives (5–8). Compounds (9–12) were obtained by attaching a carbonyl group to carbon number 5 of the imidazothiadiazole group in these compounds with the help of Vilsmeier–Haack reagent. The resultant compounds were reacted in an ethanolic medium to synthesize the novel (13–16) ligands by adding ethylenediamine in a 1:2 molar ratio. The Ag(I) complexes of the resultant ligands were synthesized by mixing silver acetate with the ligands in a dimethyl sulfoxide medium to obtain (17–20) complexes. All the synthesized compounds were analyzed using FTIR, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, mass spectroscopy, magnetic susceptibility, ICP-OES, and thermogravimetric analysis techniques. The study also investigates the in vitro cytotoxic effect of the ligands and complexes on A549 (nonsmall cell lung cancer) cells using the MTT assay and shows that the 13, 15, and 16 ligands, together with their complexes, exhibit potent cytotoxicity. In addition, in silico molecular docking simulations were conducted both to support the in vitro cytotoxicity experiments and to ascertain the active binding sites and interactions of the ligands and complexes on the EGFR receptor. The result indicates that ligands and complexes may serve as promising candidates for further investigation as anticancer agents.