Abstract
New cisplatin analogue Pd(
ii
) and Pt(
ii
) complexes bearing charged pyridylbenzimidazole derivatives furnished with either an alkylated sulfonate or a phosphonium side chain were synthesized, fully characterized and tested for their antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities against noncancerous human embryonic kidney cells (HEK293). The interactions with CT-DNA were investigated using UV/vis spectroscopy. Assignment of the electronic transitions was performed with the aid of TDDFT. The complexes showed interesting antifungal activity against
Candida albicans
and
Cryptococcus neoformans
. The Pd(
ii
) complex conjugated with alkylated triphenylphosphonium exhibited higher cytotoxicity (CC
50
= 8.932 μg mL
−1
, equivalent to 12 nM) than the others. The reactivity towards hen egg white lysozyme (HEWL) was investigated by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. The formation of DNA- and HEWL-adducts was achieved
via
the noncovalent and covalent interactions.