Bioinorganic chemistry of anti-thyroid drugs: An unusual formation of a copper (II) complex

We report the first example of a metal complex derived from the selenium analogue of the anti-thyroid drug methimazole (MSeI). The treatment of the diselenide form of Se-methimazole with copper (II) perchlorate leads to an unexpected deselenation reaction resulting in the formation of a novel copper (II) complex (7). Theoretical studies are performed on compounds 5 and 6 to understand the structural changes that take place at the imidazole moiety upon deselenation. In addition, glutathione peroxidase (GPx) behavior and lactoperoxidase (LPO) inhibition activities of complex 7 are described.