用N′-[(1E)-吡啶-2-亚甲基]吡啶-4-碳酰肼(HL)配体与铟离子/镝离子合成了2种金属配合物[In(HL)(NO₃)₃] (1)和[Dy(L)(CH₃OH)_0.89(H₂O)_1.11(NO₃)₂]·0.11H₂O (2)。单晶X射线衍射表明，配合物1和2均具有由1个配体连接1个金属离子形成的零维单核结构。体外抗增殖活性研究表明，配合物1对人肝癌细胞SMMC-7721、人乳腺癌细胞MDA-MB-231及人非小细胞肺癌细胞A549的抗肿瘤活性均优于顺铂；配合物2对SMMC-7721及A549的抗肿瘤活性也优于顺铂。伤口愈合实验显示配合物1和2可以抑制A549细胞迁移能力，且呈浓度依赖性。此外，配合物2对大肠杆菌具有显著的抑菌效果，抑菌圈直径达到22 mm。

Two complexes [Cd(L)(CH₃O)(CH₃COO)]·CH₃OH·(CH₃)₂NH (C1) and [Mn(L)Cl₂(CH₃OH)] (C2) were synthesized by reacting a new imidazole-bearing ligand 4-(1H-imidazol-1-yl)-N′-(pyridin-2-ylmethylene)benzohydrazide (L) with cadmium and manganese salts, respectively. The ligand was characterized by ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy, while the complexes were analyzed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, powder X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analyses, and UV-Vis spectroscopy. Complex C1 features a 1D zigzag chain structure formed by alternating connections of one ligand and one metal ion. In contrast, complex C2 exhibits a mononuclear molecular structure, where each unit consists of one ligand connected to one manganese ion. Both complexes further form a 3D structure through π-π interactions and intermolecular hydrogen bonds. Cell proliferation assays conducted on four tumor cell lines and one normal cell line revealed that both C1 and C2 exhibited significantly stronger inhibition of tumor cell growth compared to the ligand L. Notably, C1 demonstrated superior anti-proliferative activity against A549 and A2780 cells relative to cisplatin, while showing comparable cytotoxicity toward SMMC-7721 cells. Further mechanistic studies indicated that C1 induces apoptosis in both SMMC-7721 and A549 tumor cells, suppresses the invasion and migration of SMMC-7721 cells, and arrests the cell cycle at the G0/G1 phase.