Copper and neurodegenerative disorders: potential drugs for possible successful treatment

Computational tools to study non-covalent interactions and confinement effects in chemical systems

Confinement is a very common phenomenon in chemistry, for example, when molecules are located inside cavities. In these conditions, the electronic structure of atoms and molecules is modified. These changes could be mapped through the interaction with other molecules since non-covalent interactions between molecules are also influenced by confinement. In this work we address both topics, non-covalent interactions, and confined systems, using quantum chemistry tools with new software, emphasizing the importance of analyzing both fields simultaneously.

Distribution of Iron, Copper, Zinc and Cadmium in Glia, Their Influence on Glial Cells and Relationship with Neurodegenerative Diseases

Recent data on the distribution and influence of copper, zinc and cadmium in glial cells are summarized. This review also examines the relationship between those metals and their role in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer disease, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson disease and Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, which have become a great challenge for today's physicians. The studies suggest that among glial cells, iron has the highest concentration in oligodendrocytes, copper in astrocytes and zinc in the glia of hippocampus and cortex. Previous studies have shown neurotoxic effects of copper, iron and manganese, while zinc can have a bidirectional effect, i.e., neurotoxic but also neuroprotective effects depending on the dose and disease state. Recent data point to the association of metals with neurodegeneration through their role in the modulation of protein aggregation. Metals can accumulate in the brain with aging and may be associated with age-related diseases.

Cu(C2N4H4)2Br2·2H2O: an antiferromagnetic cyanoguanidine coordination compound and its characterization

Phase-pure copper(II) cyanoguanidine bromide hydrate, Cu(C2N4H4)2Br2·2H2O (1), was precipitated from aqueous solution and its structure was solved and refined from single-crystal X-ray diffraction data at 100 K. 1 crystallizes in space group P21/n with a = 12.09(3) Å, b = 3.925(9) Å, c = 13.79(3) Å, β = 96.62(6)°, Z = 2, and V = 650(2) Å3. The copper(II) cation is coordinated by two cyanoguanidine molecules adopting the cyanoimine shape and four bromide anions in a Jahn–Teller-distorted motif, forming infinite chains of edge-sharing octahedra along the crystallographic b axis. IR spectroscopic and magnetic susceptibility measurements were carried out in addition to density-functional electronic-structure calculations performed to assess both the magnetic ground state and the exchange interactions. Experiment and theory agree as regards antiferromagnetism and weak magnetic exchange.