Biological activities of metal oxide nanoparticles modified with hexadeca-substituted cobalt(ii) phthalocyanine bearing fluorinated substituents

Abstract

Recognition of the flexible structure of phthalocyanines, which can be tailored for specific applications, has attracted growing attention, as these compounds can enhance the efficiency of many technological and scientific systems. This study presents the synthesis of a new phthalonitrile derivative, namely 3,4,5,6-tetrakis(4-(trifluoromethoxy)phenoxy)phthalonitrile and its hexadeca-substituted cobalt(II) phthalocyanine. The newly synthesized phthalocyanine was used to functionalize the surface of alumina (Al₂O₃) and titania (TiO₂) nanoparticles via non-bonding interactions for the first time in this study. Additionally, the biological properties of compound (CoPc), unmodified (Al₂O₃ and TiO₂), and modified nanoparticles (Al₂O₃/CoPc and TiO₂/CoPc), including DNA cleavage, antimicrobial, antioxidant, and antidiabetic activities, were examined along with those of the phthalocyanine derivative to compare the effect of the modifying group on the biological properties of the metal oxide nanoparticles. As a result, the modified alumina and titania nanoparticles exhibited higher biological activity and can be considered promising biological alternatives in medicine, pending further clinical research.