Synthesis of a crystalline nanoscale Co(II)-coordination polymer based on the 4,4′-bis(imidazol-1-yl)-biphenyl ligand: structural characterization and liver cancer cell growth inhibition

A new Co(II)-bearing coordination polymer (CP) namely, [Co2(bimb)2(HCOO)3](NO3) (1) has been successfully prepared by reaction of Co(NO3)2·6H2O and 4,4′-bis(imidazol-1-yl)-biphenyl (bimb) in a mixed solvent of DMF and water though adopting a solvothermal technique. Furthermore, a green hand grinding technique has been implemented to reduce the particle size of the complex 1 to generate nanoscale 1 (denoted as nano 1 hereafter). Then, the cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay was performed to evaluate the anti-viability activity of compound. The reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the cells after compound was measured with detection kit, and the ROS relative genes expression were detected by RT-PCR.