Copper complexes with sulfonamides: crystal structure and interaction with pUC18 plasmid and hydrogen peroxide

N-Quinolin-8-yl-benzenesulfonamide (Hqbsa) and N-quinolin-8-yl-naftalenesulfonamide (Hqnsa) have been synthetized and physicochemically characterized, and used as ligands to coordinate copper complexes with ML2 stoichiometry. The structure of the compounds [Cu(qbsa)2]·DMF and [Cu(qnsa)2] has been determined by X-ray diffraction and both of them crystallize in the orthorhombic system. IR and ESR spectra of the complexes are discussed. The cleavage of pUCI8 by the copper complexes do not behave as chemical nucleases in the range of concentrations assayed.