New isomeric Cu(NO2-phen)2Br]Br complexes: Crystal structure, Hirschfeld surface, physicochemical, solvatochromism, thermal, computational and DNA-binding analysis.

Water soluble mono-cationic copper(II) complex of the general formula [Cu(NO2-phen)2Br]Br, (NO2-phen=5-nitro-1.10-phenantholine) was prepared in good yield under ultrasonic irradiation. The desired complex was isolated as a bromide salt and identified by MS, EA, UV-Vis., TG/DTA, FT-IR and XRD. The single-crystal X-ray diffraction and Hirschfield analysis revealed a square pyramidal distorted geometry around the Cu(II) center. The geometry of the [Cu(NO2-phen)2Br]+ complex was fully optimized with ab-initio methods and (DFT/B3LYP) density functional theory, then structural parameters were compared to the XRD data. The solvatochromism of [Cu(NO2-phen)2Br]Br complex was investigated in several polar solvents. Absorption and viscosity titration studies concluded that the [Cu(NO2-phen)2Br]Br complex is a very good CT-DNA binder.