New route to the synthesis of bis[N-(2-aminoethyl) salicylaldiminato] chromium(III) chloride monohydrate Spectroscopic characterization, crystal structure and interaction with DNA.

The reaction of [Cr(urea)(6)]Cl(3).3H(2)O with H(2)salen (H(2)salen=N,N(')-ethylenebis(salicylaldimine) in water-methanol mixture (40:60v/v) under reflux yielded the complex bis[N-(2-aminoethyl)salicylaldiminato]chromium(III) chloride monohydrate, [Cr(aesaldmn)(2)]Cl.H(2)O. The complex was characterized by elemental analysis, molar conductance, magnetic susceptibility, spectroscopic (UV-vis and IR) data and X-ray diffraction studies. The new ligand, N-(2-aminoethyl)salicylaldimine, Haesaldmn, possibly resulted from the hydrolytic cleavage of one end of the H(2)salen ligand during reflux. Binding of this chromium(III) complex to CT DNA has been studied using UV-vis spectroscopy with an apparent binding constant of 2.68 x 10(3)M(-1). It shows that the binding mode is electrostatic while the emission of ethidium bromide to CT DNA in the absence and in the presence of the complex show that it binds DNA with partial intercalation.