A series of zinc(II) ([Zn(H₂O)(L)Cl] (1)), copper (II) ([Cu(L)Cl] (2), [Cu(L)Br] (3), [Cu₂(L)₂(CH₃COO)₂]·4H₂O (4)), nickel(II) ([Ni(HL)₂]Cl₂·H₂O (5)), and cobalt(III) ([Co(L)₂]Cl (6)) complexes were obtained with 2‐formylpyridine N⁴‐allylthiosemicarbazone (HL). In addition another two thiosemicarbazones (3‐formylpyridine N⁴‐allylthiosemicarbazone (HL^a) and 4‐formylpyridine N⁴‐allylthiosemicarbazone (HL^b)) have been obtained. The synthesized thiosemicarbazones have been studied using ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy, IR spectroscopy, and X‐ray diffraction analysis. The composition and structure of complexes were studied using elemental analysis, IR and UV‐Vis spectroscopies, molar conductivity, and magnetic susceptibility measurements. Single crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis elucidated the structure of thiosemicarbazones HL, HL^a, and HL^b, as well as complexes 4 and 5. The antiproliferative properties of these compounds toward a series of cancer cell lines (HL‐60, HeLa, BxPC‐3, RD) and a normal cell line (MDCK) have been investigated. The nickel complex shows high selectivity (SI > 1000) toward HL‐60 cell line and is the least toxic. The zinc complex shows the highest selectivity toward RD cell line (SI = 640). The copper complexes (2–4) are the most active molecular inhibitors of proliferation of cancer cells, but exhibit not such a high selectivity and are significantly more toxic. Zinc and copper complexes manifest high antibacterial activity. It was found that calculated at B3LYP level of theory different reactivity descriptors of studied compounds strongly correlate with their biological activity.

The eleven new copper(II) and nickel(II) coordination compounds [Cu(L)Br]₂ (1), [Cu(L)Cl] (2), [Cu(L)NO₃] (3), [Ni(L)Cl] (4), [Ni(HL)₂](NO₃)₂ (5), and [Cu(A)(L)]NO₃, where A is 1,10-phenanthroline (6), 2,2′-bipyridine (7), 3,4-dimethylpyridine (8), 3-methylpyridine (9), pyridine (10) and imidazole (11) were synthesized with 3-(morpholin-4-yl)propane-2,3-dione 4-allylthiosemicarbazone (HL). The new thiosemicarbazone was characterized by NMR and FTIR spectroscopy. All the coordination compounds were characterized by elemental analysis and FTIR spectroscopy. Also, the crystal structures of HL and complexes 1, 6, 7, and 11 were determined using single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Complex 1 has a dimeric molecular structure with two bromide bridging ligands, while 6, 7, and 11 are ionic compounds and comprise monomeric complex cations. The studied complexes manifest antibacterial and antifungal activities and also have an antiradical activity that, in many cases, surpasses the activity of trolox, which is used as a standard antioxidant in medicine. Copper complexes 1–3 have very weak antiradical properties (IC₅₀ > 100 µM), but nickel complexes 4–5 are strong antiradicals with IC₅₀ values lower than that of trolox. The mixed ligand copper complexes with additional ligand of N-heteroaromatic base are superior to complexes without these additional ligands. They are 1.4–5 times more active than trolox.

Ten coordination compounds, [Cu(L¹)Cl] (C1), [Cu(L¹)NO₃] (C2), [Cu(L²)Cl] (C3), [Cu(L²)NO₃] (C4), [Cu(L³)Cl] (C5), [Cu(L³)NO₃] (C6), [Cu(L⁴)NO₃] (C7), [Cu(L⁴)Cl] (C8), [Cu(L⁵)Cl] (C9), and [Cu(L⁵)NO₃] (C10), containing pyridine derivatives of N⁴-methoxyphenyl-thiosemicarbazones were synthesized and characterized. The molecular structure of four compounds was investigated using single crystal X-ray diffraction. Spectral analysis techniques such as FT-IR, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, elemental analysis, and molar conductivity were used for all the synthesized compounds. The tested synthesized compounds were evaluated for their anticancer activity and selectivity against a variety of cancer cell lines, including HL-60, LNCaP, MCF-7, HepG-2, K-562, HeLa, BxPC-3, RD, and MDCK normal cell line. Most compounds demonstrated selective anticancer activity superior to doxorubicin. Notably, all ligands showed high antiproliferative activity against HL-60 cells, with IC₅₀ values between 0.01 and 0.06 µM and a selectivity index as high as 5000. Coordination of copper(II) with ligands HL¹ and HL³ notably enhanced antiproliferative activity, lowering the IC₅₀ to 0.03 µM. Additionally, the antioxidant activity of these compounds was assessed, revealing that all tested ligands and most coordination compounds exhibited greater antioxidant activity compared to Trolox, with some ligands showing activity up to 12.3 times higher. Toxicity studies on Daphnia magna indicated low toxicity for the ligands, generally less than doxorubicin, with LC₅₀ values ranging from 13 to 90 µM, suggesting moderate toxicity. Conversely, the coordination complexes were more toxic, with LC₅₀ values between 0.5 and 13 µM.

For the first time, a thiosemicarbazone-type ligand containing a paracetamol structural unit was synthesized. Five new coordination compounds based on copper(II) salts: [Cu(L)CH₃COO] (1), [{Cu(L)Cl}₂]·H₂O (2), [Cu(L)H₂O·DMF]NO₃ (3), [Cu(L)Br] (4), [Cu(L)H₂O]ClO₄ (5), were obtained, where HL is N-[4-({2-[1-(pyridin-2-yl)ethylidene]hydrazinecarbothioyl}amino)phenyl]acetamide. The new HL was characterized by NMR, FTIR, spectroscopy, and X-ray crystallography. All copper(II) coordination compounds were characterized by elemental analysis, FTIR, EPR spectroscopy, and molar electrical conductivity. Furthermore, single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis elucidated the structures of thiosemicarbazone HL as well as complexes 1–3. All compounds were tested for antimicrobial, antifungal, and antioxidant activities, and their toxicity to Daphnia magna was studied. Biological evaluation has revealed that most of the synthesized compounds demonstrate promising antibacterial, antifungal, and antioxidant activities. In many cases, their antibacterial/antifungal activity is comparable to that of certain drugs used in medicine for these purposes, and in some cases, even surpasses them. HL and complexes 2–5 exhibit antioxidant activity that surpasses that of Trolox. Furthermore, HL and complex 2 display virtually no toxicity to D. magna.

The reaction of N-(prop-2-en-1-yl)hydrazinecarbothioamide with substituted 2-hydroxybenzaldehydes afforded the corresponding Schiff bases which were used as ligands to obtain copper and cobalt...

The eight new copper(II), nickel(II), zinc(II), and iron(III) coordination compounds [Cu(L)Cl]₂ (1), [Cu(L)Br]₂ (2), [Cu(L)(NO₃)]₂ (3), [Cu(phen)(L)]NO₃ (4), [Ni(HL)₂](NO₃)₂·H₂O (5), [Ni(HL)₂]Cl₂ (6), [Zn(L)₂]·0.125H₂O (7), and [Fe(L)₂]Cl (8), where HL stands for 2-benzoylpyridine 4-allylthiosemicarbazone, were synthesized and characterized. ¹H, ¹³C NMR, and FTIR spectroscopies were used for characterization of the HL thiosemicarbazone. The elemental analysis, the FTIR spectroscopy, and the study of molar electrical conductivity were used for characterization of the coordination compounds 1–8. Also, the crystal structures of HL, its salts ([H₂L]Cl; [H₂L]NO₃), and complexes 1, 3, 5, 7, and 8 were determined using single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Complexes 5, 7, 8 have mononuclear structures, while copper(II) complexes 1 and 3 have a dimeric structure with the sulfur atoms of the thiosemicarbazone ligand bridging two copper atoms together. Thiosemicarbazone HL and the complexes manifest antibacterial and antifungal activities. The studied substances are more active towards Gram-negative bacteria than towards Gram-positive bacteria and fungi. Complex 1 is the most active one towards Gram-positive bacteria and C. albicans, while the introduction of 1,10-phenanthroline into the inner sphere enhances the activity towards Gram-negative bacteria. Thiosemicarbazone and complexes 6 and 7 manifest antiradical activity that exceeds the activity of Trolox. HL and complex 1 manifest antiproliferative activity towards HL-60 cancer cells which exceeds the activity of their analogs with 2-formyl-/2-acetylpyridine 4-allylthiosemicarbazone.