Co, Cu, Ni, and Zn complexes of N-[(3-phenoxy phenyl)methylidene]-l-valine as α-glycosidase and α-amylase inhibitors: Synthesis, molecular docking & antimicrobial evaluation.

The ligand N-[(3-phenoxyphenyl)methylidene]-l-valine (HL) and its Co, Ni, Cu, and Zn derivatives (1-4) were synthesized and characterized. These compounds were tested for α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibition activity, showing IC50 values of 10.51-51.36 µg/mL and 15.38-46.74 µg/mL, respectively, compared to Ascarbose. In silico molecular docking studies revealed strong binding affinities for α-glucosidase (-207.78 to -222.04 kcal/mol) and α-amylase (-159.5 to -161.82 kcal/mol), and potential anticancer activity against CDK2 (-119.6 to -126.53 kcal/mol). Antimicrobial assays against E. coli and C. albicans demonstrated significant activity, with inhibition zones of 12.5-16.8 mm and 13.5-20.05 mm, respectively. The results reveal a fascinating array of pharmacological properties of these compounds and suggest their potential for future drug development.