Ultrasound assisted green synthesis of lignosulfonate-copper nanocomposite: Investigation of its application in the Ullmann type CN coupling reactions followed by study of anti-leukemia cancer effects

Abstract

In recent times biogenic or bioinspired nanomaterials have tremendous impetus in different domains, particularly in chemical catalysis and medicinal therapeutics. In the current research, surface modified CuO nanoparticles were designed and green synthesized over sodium lignosulphate (NaLS) solution as stabilizing and reducing agent under ultrasonic conditions. The as prepared CuO@NaLS nanomaterial were physicochemically characterized over different methods including FE-SEM, EDX, elemental mapping, TEM, FT-IR and XRD. The material was subsequently used as nanocatalyst in the Ullmann type CN coupling reactions while reacting aromatic amines like aniline and heterocyclic amine indole with diverse haloarenes in presence of triethyl amine as additive base. An array of N-aryl indoles and anilines were synthesized with a great productivity ranging between 90–96 % within 1–2 h using iodo and bromobenzenes. The material was successfully isolated and reused for 8 runs in succession without discernible deduction in reactivity. Subsequently, to further explore the biological applications of the synthesized material, its potential in anti-leukemia cancer therapy was investigated through an assay employing the standard THP-1 acute leukemia cell line. This assay aimed to evaluate the material's ability to inhibit the proliferation and survival of these cancerous cells. We used the MTT method to determine the cytotoxicity of CuO@NaLS and discovered that it increased as the material dose increased. However, in vivo study or animal experiments upon the material are still challenges, to be the future endeavor.