Decorating Poly(alkyl aryl-ether) Dendrimers with Metallacarboranes

Modification of cobalt bis(dicarbollide) ions with nitrile groups on carbon atoms: a unique low-temperature skeletal rearrangement due to the specific electron-donor character of CN substitution

Herein, we report on the synthesis and stereochemistry of mono- and isomeric dinitrile derivatives of [(1,2-C2B9H11)2-3,3'-Co]- ions. The shape and electronic properties of CN groups can apparently surmount the strain associated with the substitution of two vicinal carbon positions. Owing to electron donation to the cage, this results in a substituent-induced rearrangement of one of the carbon atoms to the upper pentagonal ring. The molecular structure of this isomer was confirmed using sc-XRD and DFT chemical computations.

The Rise of Boron-Containing Compounds: Advancements in Synthesis, Medicinal Chemistry, and Emerging Pharmacology

Boron-containing compounds (BCC) have emerged as important pharmacophores. To date, five BCC drugs (including boronic acids and boroles) have been approved by the FDA for the treatment of cancer, infections, and atopic dermatitis, while some natural BCC are included in dietary supplements. Boron's Lewis acidity facilitates a mechanism of action via formation of reversible covalent bonds within the active site of target proteins. Boron has also been employed in the development of fluorophores, such as BODIPY for imaging, and in carboranes that are potential neutron capture therapy agents as well as novel agents in diagnostics and therapy. The utility of natural and synthetic BCC has become multifaceted, and the breadth of their applications continues to expand. This review covers the many uses and targets of boron in medicinal chemistry.

Reversibly Switchable Fluorescent Molecular Systems Based on Metallacarborane-Perylenediimide Conjugates

Icosahedral metallacarboranes are θ-shaped anionic molecules in which two icosahedra share one vertex that is a metal center. The most remarkable of these compounds is the anionic cobalt-based metallacarborane [Co(C₂ B₉ H₁₁ )₂ ]^- , whose oxidation-reduction processes occur via an outer sphere electron process. This, along with its low density negative charge, makes [Co(C₂ B₉ H₁₁ )₂ ]^- very appealing to participate in electron-transfer processes. In this work, [Co(C₂ B₉ H₁₁ )₂ ]^- is tethered to a perylenediimide dye to produce the first examples of switchable luminescent molecules and materials based on metallacarboranes. In particular, the electronic communication of [Co(C₂ B₉ H₁₁ )₂ ]^- with the appended chromophore unit in these compounds can be regulated upon application of redox stimuli, which allows the reversible modulation of the emitted fluorescence. As such, they behave as electrochemically-controlled fluorescent molecular switches in solution, which surpass the performance of previous systems based on conjugates of perylendiimides with ferrocene. Remarkably, they can form gels by treatment with appropriate mixtures of organic solvents, which result from the self-assembly of the cobaltabisdicarbollide-perylendiimide conjugates into 1D nanostructures. The interplay between dye π-stacking and metallacarborane electronic and steric interactions ultimately governs the supramolecular arrangement in these materials, which for one of the compounds prepared allows preserving the luminescent behavior in the gel state.

Blue Emitting Star-Shaped and Octasilsesquioxane-Based Polyanions Bearing Boron Clusters. Photophysical and Thermal Properties

High boron content systems were prepared by the peripheral functionalisation of 1,3,5-triphenylbenzene (TPB) and octavinylsilsesquioxane (OVS) with two different anionic boron clusters: closo-dodecaborate (B12) and cobaltabisdicarbollide (COSAN). TPB was successfully decorated with three cluster units by an oxonium ring-opening reaction, while OVS was bonded to eight clusters by catalysed metathesis cross-coupling. The resulting compounds were spectroscopically characterised, and their solution-state photophysical properties analysed. For TPB, the presence of COSAN dramatically quenches the fluorescence emission (λem = 369 nm; ΦF = 0.8%), while B12-substituted TPB shows an appreciable emission efficiency (λem = 394 nm; ΦF = 12.8%). For octasilsesquioxanes, the presence of either COSAN or B12 seems to be responsible for ∼80 nm bathochromic shift with respect to the core emission, but both cases show low emission fluorescence (ΦF = 1.4-1.8%). In addition, a remarkable improvement of the thermal stability of OVS was observed after its functionalisation with these boron clusters.

Organotin Dyes Bearing Anionic Boron Clusters as Cell-Staining Fluorescent Probes

Within the cell nucleus, in the nucleoli, ribosomal RNAs are synthesized and participate in several biological processes. To better understand nucleoli-related processes, their visualization is often required, for which specific markers are needed. Herein, we report the design of novel fluorescent organotin compounds derived from 4-hydroxy-N'-((2-hydroxynaphthalen-1-yl)methylene)benzohydrazide and their cytoplasm and nucleoli staining of B16F10 cells in vitro. Tin compounds bearing an aliphatic carbon chain (-C₁₂ H₂₅ ) and an electron-donating group (-OH) were prepared, and the latter could be derivatized to bear the boron cluster anions [B₁₂ H₁₂ ]^2- and [3,3'-Co(1,2-C₂ B₉ H₁₁ )₂ ]^- (COSAN). All of the conjugates have been fully characterized and their luminescence properties have been assessed. In general, they show good quantum yields in solution (24-49 %), those for the COSAN derivatives being lower. Remarkably, the linking of [B₁₂ H₁₂ ]^2- and COSAN to the complexes made them more soluble, without being detrimental to their luminescence properties. Living B16F10 cells were treated with all of the compounds to determine their fluorescence staining properties; the compounds bearing the aliphatic chain showed a reduced staining capacity due to the formation of aggregates. Notably, the complexes bearing different boron clusters showed different staining effects; those bearing [B₁₂ H₁₂ ]^2- showed extraordinary staining of the nucleoli and cytoplasm, whereas those bearing COSAN were only detected in the cytoplasm. The remarkable fluorescence staining properties shown by these organotin compounds make them excellent candidates for fluorescence bioimaging in vitro.

Cation-sensitive compartmentalization in metallacarborane containing polymer nanoparticles

The inner structure of hybrid nanoparticles based on metallacarborane complexation with diblock copolymer PEO–POX is sensitive to alkaline cations.

Cyanide free contraction of disclosed 1,4-dioxane ring as a route to cobalt bis(dicarbollide) derivatives with short spacer between the boron cage and terminal functional group

The 1,4-dioxane derivative of cobalt bis(dicarbollide) reacts with dialkylsulfides and triphenylphosphine to give the corresponding sulfonium and phosphonium derivatives.

Compartmentalization in Hybrid Metallacarborane Nanoparticles Formed by Block Copolymers with Star-Like Architecture

One strategy to control the morphology of hybrid polymeric nanostructures is the proper selection of macromolecule architecture. We prepared metallacarborane-rich nanoparticles by interaction of double-hydrophilic block copolymers consisting of both poly(2-alkyl oxazolines) and poly(ethylene oxide) blocks with cobaltabisdicarbollide anion in physiological saline. The inner structure of the hybrid nanoparticles was studied by cryo-TEM, light scattering, SAXS, NMR, and ITC. Although the thermodynamics of diblock and star-like systems are almost identical, the macromolecular architecture has a great impact on the size and inner morphology of the nanoparticles. While hybrid nanoparticles formed by linear diblock copolymers are homogeneous, resembling gel-like nanospheres, the star-like shape of 4-arm block copolymers with PEO blocks in central parts of macromolecules leads to distinct compartmentalization. Because metallacarboranes are promising species in medicine, the studied nanoparticles are important for targeted drug delivery of boron cluster compounds.

Derivatization chemistry of the double-decker dicobalt sandwich ion targeted to design biologically active substances

A synthesis of the first double-decker sandwich ion [(1',2'-C2B9H11)-3,3'-Co-(1,2-C2B8H10)-6,3"-Co-(1",2"-C2B9H11)]2– (DD2–) derivatives is described, having been developed in connection with our search for biologically active substances. A series of B-substituted hydroxyl derivatives was prepared by direct hydroxylation of the ion using aqueous sulfuric acid. Two isomers of monohydroxy derivatives were isolated. The main product was substituted at the central “canastide” ion fragment, whereas the substitution site for the minor isomer corresponded to a B(8) atom of one of the terminal 11-vertex dicarbollide parts. Similarly, the disubstitution occurred slightly more preferentially on the “canastide” fragment providing the main isomeric derivative with a symmetric structure. The cesium salt of this ion was characterized by X-ray diffraction. Two other isomeric species have one substituent sitting on the “canastide” ion and the second present on the dicarbollide ligand in apart or syn-geometric arrangement. A new zwitterion anion [(1',2'-C2B9H11)-3',3-Co-(8-(CH2)4O-1,2-C2B8H9)-6,3"-Co-(1",2"-C2B9H11)-]1– was prepared by the reaction of the parent ion with tetrahydrofuran (THF), activated by BF3·OEt2. This new compound serves as a versatile building block for constructing organic derivatives, as exemplified by the ring cleavage by various amines or phenolate ions and the synthesis of a basic series of compounds of general formulation [(1',2'-C2B9H11)-3',3-Co-(8-X-(CH2)4O-1,2-C2B8H9)-6,3"-Co-(1",2"-C2B9H11)]n– where the organic end-groups X adjacent to the “canastide” moiety via a B-oxatetramethylene spacer corresponds to C4H9NH2, NC5H5, N(C2H5)3, (C6H5)3P (n = 1), or (4-t-Bu-C6H4-1-O)– and (2-CH3O-C6H4O)– (n = 2). We show that dicluster compounds with two identical DD2– anion units or asymmetric molecules containing two different clusters, the cobalt bis(dicarbollide) and the DD2– anion, are accessible using this building block. All compounds were characterized by high-resolution NMR (1H, 13C, and 11B) and mass spectrometry. Some of the compounds were tested by in vitro assay for their ability to inhibit the HIV-protease (HIV-PR) enzyme. The majority of the tested species proved substantially high activity toward the HIV-PR, exhibiting on the other hand a noncompetitive mechanism of the inhibition.