van der Waals Radii of Pt(II) and Pd(II) in Molecular Mechanics Models and an Analysis of Their Relevance to the Description of Axial M.H(-C), M.H(-N), M.S, and M.M (M = Pd(II) or Pt(II)) Interactions

Aminoisophthalate Bridged Cd(II)-2D Coordination Polymer: Structure Description, Selective Detection of Pd2+ in Aqueous Medium, and Fabrication of Schottky Diode

Photoluminescence activity of coordination polymers (CPs) has evoked intricate applications in the field of materials science, especially sensing of ions/molecules. In the present study, 2,3,5,6-tetrakis(2-pyridyl)pyrazine (tppz) and 5-aminoisophthalate (HAIPA^-) coordinated to Cd(II) to architect a coordination polymer, {[Cd(HAIPA)(tppz)(OH)]·3H₂O}_n (CP1) which unveils blue emission in an aqueous acetonitrile (98% aqueous) suspension. The emission is selectively quenched by Pd²⁺ only without interference in the presence of as many as 16 other cations. The structure of CP1 shows the presence of a free -COOH group, and the interlayer (-CO)O(2)···O(7) (OC-) distance, 4.242 Å, along with the π···π interactions (3.990, 3.927 Å), may make a cavity which suitably accommodates only Pd²⁺ (van der Waal's radius, 1.7 Å) through the Pd(II)-carboxylato (-COO-Pd) coordination. The stability of the composite, [CP1 + Pd²⁺] may be assessed from the fluorescence quenching experiment, and the Stern-Volmer constant (K_SV) is 7.2 × 10⁴ M^-1. Therefore, the compound, CP1, is a promising sensor for Pd(II) in a selective manner with limit of detection (LOD), 0.08 μM. The XPS spectra of CP1 and [CP1 + Pd²⁺] have proven the presence of Pd²⁺ in the host and the existence of a coordinated -COO-Pd bond. Interestingly, inclusion of Pd²⁺ in CP1 decreases the band gap from 3.61 eV (CP1) to 3.05 eV ([CP1 + Pd²⁺]) which lies in the semiconducting region and has exhibited improved electrical conductivity from 7.42 × 10^-5 (CP1) to 1.20 × 10^-4 S m^-1 ([CP1 + Pd²⁺]). Upon light irradiation, the electrical conductivities are enhanced to 1.45 × 10^-4 S m^-1 (CP1) and 3.81 × 10^-4 S m^-1 ([CP1 + Pd²⁺]); which validates the highly desired photoresponsive device applications. Therefore, such type of materials may serve as SDG-army (sustainable development goal) to battle against the environmental issues and energy crisis.

Phosphorescent Bimetallic C^C* Platinum( ii ) Complexes with Bridging Substituted Diphenylformamidinates

A series of phosphorescent bimetallic platinum(II) complexes is presented, which were synthesized by the combination of bidentate cyclometalated N-heterocyclic carbene ligands and different bridging diphenylformamidinates. The complexes were characterized by standard techniques and additionally two solid-state structures could be obtained. Photoluminescence measurements revealed the strong emissive behavior of the compounds with quantum yields of up to 90 % and emission lifetimes of approx. 2 μs. The effect of the substitution pattern in the bridging ligands on the structural and photophysical properties of the complexes was examined in detail and rationalized by density functional theory calculations (PBE0/6-311G*).

Diverse and unexpected outcomes from oxidation of the platinum(II) anticancer agent [Pt{(p-BrC6F4)NCH2CH2NEt2}Cl(py)] by hydrogen peroxide

Oxidation of the anti-tumour agent [Pt{(p-BrC₆F₄)NCH₂CH₂NEt₂}Cl(py)], 1 (py = pyridine) with hydrogen peroxide under a variety of conditions yields a range of organoenamineamidoplatinum(II) compounds [Pt{(p-BrC₆F₄)NCH=C(X)NEt₂}Cl(py)] (X = H, Cl, Br) as well as species with shared occupancy involving H, Cl and Br. Thus, oxidation of the -CH₂-CH₂- backbone (dehydrogenation) occurs, often accompanied by substitution. Oxidation of 1 with H₂O₂ in acetone yielded 1:1 co-crystallized [Pt{(p-BrC₆F₄)NCH=CHNEt₂}Cl(py)], 1H and [Pt{(p-BrC₆F₄)NCH=C(Cl)NEt₂}Cl(py)], 1Cl. The former was obtained pure in low yield from the oxidation of 1 with (NH₄)₂[Ce(NO₃)₆] in acetone, and the latter was obtained from 1 and H₂O₂ in CH₂Cl₂ at near reflux. From the latter reaction under vigorous refluxing [Pt{(p-BrC₆F₄)NCH=C(Br)NEt₂}Cl(py)], 1Br was isolated. In refluxing acetonitrile, oxidation of 1 with H₂O₂ yielded [Pt{(p-BrC₆F₄)NCH=C(H₀.₂₅Br_0.75)NEt₂}Cl(py)], 1H_0.25Br_0.75, in which the alkene is mainly substituted by Br in a dual occupancy. Treatment of 1 with H₂O₂ and tetrabutylammonium hydroxide in acetone at room temperature formed [Pt{(p-HC₆F₄)NCH₂CH₂NEt₂}Cl(py)], 2. Oxidation of [Pt{(p-HC₆F₄)NCH₂CH₂NEt₂}Br(py)], 3 with H₂O₂ in boiling acetonitrile gave the ligand oxidation product [Pt{(p-HC₆F₄)NCH=C(Br)NEt₂}Br(py)], 3Br. All major products were identified by X-ray crystallography as well as by ¹H and ¹⁹F NMR spectra. In cases of mixed crystals or dual occupancy compounds, the ¹⁹F and ¹H NMR spectra showed dissociation into the components in the solution in the same proportions as in isolated crystalline material.

Anionic versus neutral Pt(II) complexes: The relevance of the charge for human serum albumin binding

The focus of this work is pointing out the different behavior of two structurally related Pt^(II) complexes, the anionic cyclometalated NBu₄[(Bzq)Pt(Thio)], 1 and the neutral [(Phen)Pt(Thio)], 2, (Bzq = benzo[h]quinoline, Phen = 1,10-phenantroline, Thio = 1,2-benzenedithiolate), on the interaction with human serum albumin (HSA), a key drug-delivery protein in the bloodstream. Being very limited the number of anionic Pt^(II) complexes reported to date, this is a pioneering example of report on a protein-ligand interaction involving a negatively charged platinum compound. The study was carried out by using fluorescence spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and molecular docking simulations. The results revealed a strong binding affinity between the anionic compound and the protein, whereas a weak/moderate binding interaction was highlighted for the neutral one. Comparative studies with site specific ligands (warfarin and ibuprofen), allowed us to identify the protein binding sites of the two compounds. The work aims to shed light on the relevance of the charge in designing new drugs with a favorable binding affinity for HSA, which strongly contributes to influence their pharmacological and toxicological profile.

Palladium and Platinum 2,4-cis-amino Azetidine and Related Complexes

Seven N,N'-palladium(II) chloride complexes, one N,N'-palladium(II) acetate complex of 2,4-cis-azetidines where prepared and analyzed by single crystal XRD. Two platinum(II) chloride N,N'-complexes of 2,4-cis-azetidines where prepared and analyzed by single crystal XRD. Computational analysis and determination of the %Vbur was examined conducted. A CNN' metallocyclic complex was prepared by oxidative addition of palladium(0) to an ortho bromo 2,4-cis-disubstituted azetidine and its crystal structure displays a slightly pyramidalized metal-ligand orientation.

Palladium(II)-Stabilized Pyridine-2-Diazotates: Synthesis, Structural Characterization, and Cytotoxicity Studies

Well-defined diazotates are scarce. Here we report the synthesis of unprecedented homoleptic palladium(II) diazotate complexes. The palladium(II)-mediated nitrosylation of 2-aminopyridines with NaNO₂ results in the formation of metal-stabilized diazotates, which were found to be cytotoxic to human ovarian cancer cells.

Palladium Complexes of N,N'-Bis(2-aminoethyl)oxamide (H2L): Structural (PdIIL, PdII2L2, and PdIVLCl2), Electrochemical, Dynamic 1H NMR, and Cytotoxicity Studies

The monomeric (PdL·2H₂O) and dimeric (Pd₂L₂·7H₂O) palladium(II) complexes of N,N'-bis(2-aminoethyl)oxamide (H₂L) were isolated, and their structures were established by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Both compounds display identical cis-(2N_amide + 2N_amine) coordination environments of the metal ion. The dimer, representing a combination of two PdL species with an open lateral chelate ring, has an "open clamshell"-like structure. The intramolecular metal-metal separation in Pd₂L₂ (3.215 Å) is slightly shorter than the sum of the van der Waals radii of the palladium(II) atoms. The dimeric complex is relatively stable to dissociation, and its spectral features in aqueous solutions have been compared to those of the monomeric complex. A ¹H NMR spectroscopic study revealed the presence of the dynamic conformational exchange process assigned to a turning of the dimeric molecule "inside out" with an activation energy of 65 kJ/mol. Cyclic voltammetry of PdL in perchlorate-, chloride-, and sulfate-containing electrolytes revealed two-electron oxidation of the palladium center. For the dimeric complex similar, though irreversible, oxidation to the palladium(IV) state was observed in NaCl electrolyte. At the same time, in NaClO₄ or Na₂SO₄ solutions oxidation of Pd₂L₂ occurs in two distinct steps. The first step is quasi-reversible and can be assigned to the formation of species in an intermediate Pd^IIIPd^III state. Monomeric palladium(IV) complex Pd^IVLCl₂ was generated via chemical oxidation of Pd^IIL by peroxodisulfate in the presence of chloride ions and structurally characterized. The related M^IIL complexes (M = Pd, Ni, Cu) showed low cytotoxicity in human cancer cell lines AGS (gastric adenocarcinoma) and HCT116 (colorectal carcinoma) with IC₅₀ values from 204 to 525 μM, while the proligand H₂L was devoid of antiproliferative activity (IC₅₀ > 1000 μM).

Synthesis of Tetranuclear Palladium(II) Complexes and Their Catalytic Activity for Cross-Coupling Reactions

We have developed a short and simple synthesis of tetranuclear palladium(II) complexes that have been structurally confirmed by X-ray analysis. These complexes were formed in about 30 % overall yield by spontaneous metalation of dimethylaminoarene derivatives and exhibit a high stability. We have studied the utility of the tetranuclear palladium(II) complexes as precatalysts for Mizoroki-Heck and Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reactions. Our novel complexes show excellent catalytic activities with high turnover numbers (TON) and high turnover frequencies (TOF) (e.g., for the Suzuki-Miyaura reaction: TON up to 538000 and TOF up to 23400 h^-1 at room temperature).

Synthesis and Characterization of Pt(II) Complexes with Pyridyl Ligands: Elongated Octahedral Ion Pairs and Other Factors Influencing 1H NMR Spectra

Our goal is to develop convenient methods for obtaining trans-[Pt^II(4-Xpy)₂Cl₂] complexes applicable to 4-substituted pyridines (4-Xpy) with limited volatility and water solubility, properties typical of 4-Xpy, with X being a moiety targeting drug delivery. Treatment of cis-[Pt^II(DMSO)₂Cl₂] (DMSO = dimethyl sulfoxide) with 4-Xpy in acetonitrile allowed isolation of a new series of simple trans-[Pt^II(4-Xpy)₂Cl₂] complexes. A side product with very downfield H2/6 signals led to our synthesis of a series of new [Pt^II(4-Xpy)₄]Cl₂ salts. For both series in CDCl₃, the size of the H2/6 Δδ [coordinated minus "free" 4-Xpy H2/6 shift] decreased as 4-Xpy donor ability increased from 4-CNpy to 4-Me₂Npy. This finding can be attributed to the greater synergistic reduction in the inductive effect of the Pt(II) center with increased 4-Xpy donor ability. The high solubility of [Pt^II(4-Xpy)₄]Cl₂ salts in CDCl₃ (a solvent with low polarity) and the very downfield shift of the [Pt^II(4-Xpy)₄]Cl₂ H2/6 signals for the solutions provide evidence for the presence of strong {[Pt^II(4-Xpy)₄]²⁺,2Cl^-} ion pairs that are stabilized by multiple CH···Cl contacts. This conclusion gains considerable support from [Pt^II(4-Xpy)₄]Cl₂ crystal structures revealing that a chloride anion occupies a pseudoaxial position with nonbonding (py)C-H···Cl contacts (2.4-3.0 Å). Evidence for (py)C-H···Y contacts was obtained in NMR studies of [Pt^II(4-Xpy)₄]Y₂ salts with Y counterions less capable of forming H-bonds than chloride ion. Our synthetic approaches and spectroscopic analysis are clearly applicable to other nonvolatile ligands.

Detailed Structural Analysis of a Self-Assembled Vesicular Amphiphilic NCN-Pincer Palladium Complex by Using Wide-Angle X-Ray Scattering and Molecular Dynamics Calculations

Wide-angle X-ray scattering experiments and all-atomistic molecular dynamics calculations were performed to elucidate the detailed structure of bilayer vesicles constructed by self-assembly of an amphiphilic palladium NCN-pincer complex. We found an excellent agreement between the experimental and calculated X-ray spectra, and between the membrane thickness determined from a TEM image and that calculated from an electron-density profile, which indicated that the calculated structure was highly reliable. The analysis of the simulated bilayer structure showed that in general the membrane was softer than other phospholipid bilayer membranes. In this bilayer assemblage, the degree of alignment of complex molecules in the bilayer membrane was quite low. An analysis of the electron-density profile shows that the bilayer assemblage contains a space through which organic molecules can exit. Furthermore, the catalytically active center is near this space and is easily accessible by organic molecules, which permits the bilayer membrane to act as a nanoreactor. The free energy of permeation of water through the bilayer membrane of the amphiphilic complex was 12 kJ mol^-1 , which is much lower than that for phospholipid bilayer membranes in general. Organic molecules are expected to pass though the bilayer membrane. The self-assembled vesicles were shown to be catalytically active in a Miyaura-Michael reaction in water.

A platinum-based hybrid drug design approach to circumvent acquired resistance to molecular targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitors

Three molecular targeted tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) were conjugated to classical platinum-based drugs with an aim to circumvent TKI resistance, predominately mediated by the emergence of secondary mutations on oncogenic kinases. The hybrids were found to maintain specificity towards the same oncogenic kinases as the original TKI. Importantly, they are remarkably less affected by TKI resistance, presumably due to their unique structure and the observed dual mechanism of anticancer activity (kinase inhibition and DNA damage). The study is also the first to report the application of a hybrid drug approach to switch TKIs from being efflux transporter substrates into non-substrates. TKIs cannot penetrate into the brain for treating metastases because of efflux transporters at the blood brain barrier. The hybrids were found to escape drug efflux and they accumulate more than the original TKI in the brain in BALB/c mice. Further development of the hybrid compounds is warranted.

Luminescent platinum(II) complexes with functionalized N-heterocyclic carbene or diphosphine selectively probe mismatched and abasic DNA

The selective targeting of mismatched DNA overexpressed in cancer cells is an appealing strategy in designing cancer diagnosis and therapy protocols. Few luminescent probes that specifically detect intracellular mismatched DNA have been reported. Here we used Pt(II) complexes with luminescence sensitive to subtle changes in the local environment and report several Pt(II) complexes that selectively bind to and identify DNA mismatches. We evaluated the complexes' DNA-binding characteristics by ultraviolet/visible absorption titration, isothermal titration calorimetry, nuclear magnetic resonance and quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics calculations. These Pt(II) complexes show up to 15-fold higher emission intensities upon binding to mismatched DNA over matched DNA and can be utilized for both detecting DNA abasic sites and identifying cancer cells and human tissue samples with different levels of mismatch repair. Our work highlights the potential of luminescent Pt(II) complexes to differentiate between normal cells and cancer cells which generally possess more aberrant DNA structures.

DNA pairing defects such as mismatched and abasic DNA are prevalent in cancer cells. Here, the authors present luminescent platinum based probes capable of preferentially binding to mismatched and abasic DNA, and reporting this by a significant luminescence enhancement

CH⋯Pd interactions: one dimensional heteropolynuclear complexes

Three cyanide complexes, [Cu(hepH)2Pd(μ-CN)2(CN)2]n (1), [Zn(hepH)2Pd(μ-CN)2(CN)2]n (2) and [Cd(hepH)2Pd(μ-CN)2(CN)2]n (3) (2-pyridineethanol abbreviated to hepH), have been synthesized and characterized by various techniques (elemental analysis, FT-IR and Raman spectroscopy, thermal analysis and single crystal X-ray diffraction). FT-IR spectroscopy pointed out the existence of terminal and bridged cyanide ligands in the complexes. The crystallographic analyses reveal that complexes 1 and 2 crystallize in the triclinic system, space group P-1 and complex 3 crystallizes in the monoclinic system, space group P2₁/n. The palladium atom is coordinated with cyanide-carbon atoms in a square-planar arrangement and the metal(II) atoms are six-coordinated with two cyanide nitrogen, two hepH nitrogen and two hepH oxygen atoms, in a distorted octahedral arrangement. In all the complexes adjacent chains are connected by CH⋯Pd, π⋯π and OH⋯N hydrogen bonding interactions to form two- and three-dimensional networks. When it comes to thermal analysis, the complexes followed usual decomposition mechanism in which neutral ligands (hepH) are released first, and then cyanide ligands are decomposed. The final decomposition products are found to be the corresponding metal oxides.

Mechanism of the cis-[Pt(1R,2R-DACH)(H2O)2]2+ intrastrand binding to the double-stranded (pGpG)·(CpC) dinucleotide in aqueous solution: a computational DFT study

A mechanism of the intrastrand 1,2-cross-link formation between the double-stranded pGpG·CpC dinucleotide (ds(pGpG)) and fully aquated oxaliplatin cis-[Pt(DACH)(H2O)2](2+) (DACH = cyclohexane-1R,2R-diamine) is presented. All structures of the reaction pathways including the transition states (TSs) were fully optimized in water solvent using DFT methodology with dispersion corrections. Both 5' → 3' and 3' → 5' binding directions were considered. In the first step there is a slight kinetic preference for 5'-guanine (5'G) monoadduct formation with an activation Gibbs free energy of 18.7 kcal/mol since the N7 center of the 5'G base is fully exposed to the solvent. On the other hand, the N7 atom of 3'-guanine (3'G) is sterically shielded by 5'G. The lowest energy path for formation of the 3'G monoadduct with an activation barrier of 19.3 kcal/mol is connected with a disruption of the 'DNA-like' structure of ds(pGpG). Monoadduct formation is the rate-determining process. The second step, chelate formation, is kinetically preferred in the 3' → 5' direction. The whole process of the platination is exergonic by up to -18.8 kcal/mol. Structural changes of ds(pGpG), charge transfer effects, and the influence of platination on the G·C base pair interaction strengths are also discussed in detail.

Sequence-specific recognition of cancer drug-DNA adducts by HMGB1a repair protein

The efficacy of cancer drugs such as cisplatin (Cp) and oxaliplatin (Ox), which covalently bind to DNA to form drug-DNA adducts, is linked to their recognition by repair proteins such as HMGB1a. Previous experimental studies showed that HMGB1a's binding affinity for Cp- and Ox-DNA varies with the drug used and the local DNA sequence context of the adduct. We link this differential binding affinity to the free energy of deforming (bending and minor groove opening) the drug-DNA molecule during HMGB1a binding. Specifically, the minimal binding affinity of HMGB1a for Ox-DNA in the TGGA context is explained by its larger deformation free energy compared with Cp-DNA or Ox-DNA in other sequence contexts. Methyl groups on neighboring thymine bases in Ox-TGGA crowd the minor groove and sterically hinder the motion of the diaminocyclohexane ring of Ox, leading to this reduced deformability and resultant decrease in HMGB1a's binding affinity.

Synthesis, characterization, and photophysical properties of three platinum(II) complexes bearing fluorescent analogues of the Di-2-pyridylmethane ligand

Three new ligands of the general formula [RNHCH(py)(2)] (py = pyridine; R = tosyl, Ts-dpm; R = dansyl, Ds-dpm; R = 7-nitro-1,2,3-benzoxadiazole, NBD-dpm) have been synthesized and characterized. Reactions of these ligands with cis-[Pt(DMSO)(2)Cl(2)] (DMSO = dimethyl sulfoxide) in methanol affords [Pt(Ts-dpm)Cl(2)] (1), [Pt(Ds-dpm)Cl(2)] (2), and [Pt(NBD-dpm)Cl(2)] (3). The crystal structures of these complexes reveal bidentate coordination of the ligands to the Pt center with nonplanar chelate rings. Because of inequivalent substituents on the methine carbon atom of the ligands, distinct exo and endo isomers exist in the three complexes. X-ray analyses indicate that 1 crystallizes in the endo conformation, 2 in the exo conformation, and 3 as a mixture of the two conformers. The (1)H NMR and (195)Pt NMR spectra of the complexes display two sets of independent signals corresponding to the chemically inequivalent exo and endo conformers. The exo conformer was determined by 2D NMR spectroscopy to be thermodynamically favored for all three complexes. Density functional theory (DFT), time-dependent DFT, and atoms in molecules calculations were carried out for both conformers of 3 to investigate differences in their electronic structures and to explore intramolecular interactions. In the presence of dioxygen, 1 thermally decomposes at 60 degrees C to form several unidentified products. Compound 2 is thermally stable even in the presence of dioxygen and water but upon light exposure decomposes to form a new platinum(II) species with a (195)Pt NMR shift of -2177 ppm. Compound 3 reacts both thermally and photochemically in the presence of dioxygen and trace amounts of water to form both 4-amino-7-nitro-2,1,3-benzoxadiazole and [Pt(dpk)Cl(2)] (dpk = di-2-pyridyl ketone). Oxidation of 1 and 3 with H(2)O(2) in acetic acid affords a mixture of compounds, two of which contain dpm ligands bound in a tridentate manner to platinum.

Synthesis, X-ray crystallographic, and NMR characterizations of platinum(II) and platinum(IV) pyrophosphato complexes

A series of mononuclear cis-diamineplatinum(II) pyrophosphato complexes containing ammine (am), trans-1,2-cyclohexanediamine (dach), and 1,2-ethanediamine (en) as the amine ligands were synthesized and characterized by (31)P and (195)Pt NMR spectroscopy. Chemical shifts of (31)P NMR resonances of these completely deprotonated complexes appear at 2.12, 1.78, and 1.93 ppm, indicating a coordination chemical shift of at least 8 ppm. The (195)Pt NMR chemical shifts for the am and dach complexes were observed at -1503 and -1729 ppm. The complexes are highly stable at neutral pH; no aquation due to the release of either phosphate or amine ligands was observed within 48 h. Furthermore, no partial deligation of the pyrophosphate ligand was detected within several days at neutral pH. At lower pH, however, release of a pyrophosphate ion was observed with concomitant formation of a bridged pyrophosphatoplatinum(II) dinuclear complex. The extended crystal structure containing the dach ligand revealed a zigzag chain stacked in a head-to-tail fashion. Moreover, two zigzag chains are juxtaposed in a parallel fashion and supported by additional hydrogen bonds reminiscent of DNA structures where two strands of DNA bases are held by hydrogen bonds. Theoretical calculations support the notion that the two dinuclear units are held together primarily by hydrogen bonds between the amine and phosphate moieties. Platinum(II) pyrophosphato complexes were readily oxidized by hydrogen peroxide to yield cis-diamine-trans-dihydroxopyrophosphatoplatinum(IV) complexes. Two of these complexes, containing am and en, were characterized by X-ray crystallography. Notable structural features include Pt-O (phosphate) bond distances of 2.021-2.086 A and departures from 180 degrees in trans-HO-Pt-OH bond angles, >90 degrees in O-Pt-O, and >90 degrees in cis-N-Pt-N bond angles. The departure in the trans-HO-Pt-OH angle is more pronounced in the 1,2-ethanediamine complex compared to the dach analogue because of the existence of two molecules possessing enantiomeric conformations within the asymmetric unit. (31)P NMR spectra exhibited well-resolved (195)Pt satellites with coupling constants of 15.4 Hz for the ammine and 25.9 Hz for both the 1,2-ethanediamine and trans-1,2-cyclohexanediamine complexes. The (195)Pt NMR spectrum of the ammine complex clearly showed coupling with two equivalent N atoms.

The effect of ancillary ligand chirality and phenanthroline functional group substitution on the cytotoxicity of platinum(II)-based metallointercalators

Fifteen platinum(II)-based metallointercalators have been synthesised that utilise substituted 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) ligands, including 5-chloro-1,10-phenanthroline (5-Cl-phen), 5-methyl-1,10-phenanthroline (5-CH3-phen), 5-amino-1,10-phenanthroline (5-NH2-phen), 5-nitro-1,10-phenanthroline (5-NO2-phen) and dipyrido[3,2-d:2',3'-f]quinoxaline (dpq), and achiral ethylenediamine (en) and the chiral ancillary ligands 1S,2S-diaminocyclohexane (S,S-dach) and 1R,2R-diaminocyclohexane (R,R-dach). Their cytotoxicity in the L1210 murine leukaemia cell line was determined using growth inhibition assays. The most cytotoxic metal complexes are those that contain S,S-dach ancillary ligands and 5-CH3-phen intercalating ligands. One metallointercalator [Pt(5-CH3-phen)(S,S-dach)]Cl2 (5MESS), displays a 5-10-fold increase in cytotoxicity compared to the clinical agent cisplatin. From DNA binding experiments there appears to be no significant difference between any of the metal complexes, indicating that neither DNA binding affinity nor the mode of binding/DNA adduct formed is the sole determinant of the cytotoxicity of this family of platinum(II)-based metallointercalators.

First Example of the Solid-State Thermal Cyclometalation of Ligated Benzophenone Imine Giving Novel Luminescent Platinum(II) Species

The (benzophenone imine)platinum(II) compounds trans-[PtCl2(Ph2C=NH)(RR'SO)] [R, R'=Me, Me (2); n-Pr, n-Pr (3); (CH2)4 (4); Me, Ph (5); Me, p-MeC6H4 (6)] were prepared by the reaction of Ph2C=NH with K[PtCl3(RR'SO)], obtained in situ from K2[PtCl4] and the corresponding sulfoxide, giving 2-6 as well as cis-[PtCl2(Ph2C=NH)2] (1) as a minor product. The complexes were characterized by 1H, 13C, and 195Pt NMR and IR spectroscopy, electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, and C, H, and N elemental analysis. The X-ray crystallography of 1 enables confirmation of the cis configuration of the complex, while in 2 and 4.1/2CHCl3, the imine and sulfoxide ligands are mutually trans. The solid-state structure of 4.1/2CHCl3 consists of two dimeric Pt moieties representing a rather weak Pt...Pt interaction. The dimeric architecture of 4.1/2CHCl3 is enhanced by the hydrogen bonding between imine H atoms and O atoms. The orthometalation of 1 and 2-6 proceeds both in the solid phase and in a toluene suspension, leading to the formation of [PtCl{Ph(C6H4)C=NH}(Ph2C=NH)] (7) and [PtCl{Ph(C6H4)C=NH}(RR'SO)] (8-12), respectively, isolated in nearly quantitative yields. Complexes 8-12 are emissive at room temperature both in solution (lambdaemmax approximately 535 nm) and in the solid state (lambdaemmax 560-610 nm), with excited-state lifetimes of ca. 300-600 ns, representing a new family of PtII-based luminescent complexes. Compounds 8 and 10 have been characterized by X-ray analysis, confirming the square-planar coordination geometry of the metal center with the almost planar platinacycles. In 8, the asymmetric unit contains two independent Pt molecules, while in 10, it includes four Pt molecules linked by the intermolecular hydrogen-bonding network between the NH group and Cl atoms.

Monte Carlo Simulation of Cisplatin Molecule in Aqueous Solution

The Lennard-Jones (12-6) parameters were obtained for all atoms of cisplatin molecule using the ab initio quantum mechanical potential energy surface for the water-cisplatin interaction as reference data. The parameters found were (epsilon/kcal.mol(-1) and sigma/angstroms) 1.0550, 3.6590 (Pt); 0.0381, 4.6272 (Cl); 0.0455, 3.3783 (N); and 0.0185, 0.0936 (H) and provided very good results for the description of the aqueous solution of cisplatin through Monte Carlo simulation. From statistical analysis of solute-solvent interactions, we observed that the NH3 groups are involved in 53% of the calculated hydrogen bonds with a significant contribution from chlorides (41%) and only 6% involving the Pt center. This is in agreement with the expected behavior for such molecules. Two hydration shells with 22 and 81 water molecules, respectively, centered around 4.6 and 7.3 angstroms were found from the center of mass pair correlation function analysis. The cisplatin atomic Lennard-Jones parameters are reported for the first time, and they might be useful for studying the structure, properties, and processes of cisplatin-like molecules in aqueous solution, including explicitly the solvent effect.

Gold(III) compounds of 1,4,7-triazacyclononane showing high cytotoxicity against A-549 and HCT-116 tumor cell lines

Two gold(III) compounds [Au(TACN)Cl(2)]Cl (1) and [Au(TACN)Cl(2)][AuCl(4)] (2) (where TACN=1,4,7-triazacyclononane), have been synthesized and characterized by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS), (1)H NMR spectroscopy and elemental analyses. The structure of compound 2 was determined by X-ray crystallography, in which TACN coordinates to the gold(III) center in a bidentate mode and the unbound amine group forms a very short intramolecular Au-H(-N) contact (1.91A). Biological activity data showed that compound 1 is more cytotoxic than cisplatin against A-549 and HCT-116 tumor cell lines. The interactions of compound 1 with CT-DNA were studied by UV-Vis, fluorescence and CD spectroscopy, which suggests that compound 1 can induce the distortion of DNA double helix.

DNA adducts of the enantiomers of the Pt(II) complexes of the ahaz ligand (ahaz=3-aminohexahydroazepine) and recognition of these adducts by HMG domain proteins

The bending, unwinding, and structural changes in DNA caused by the binding of each of the enantiomers of the platinum(II) complexes of the ahaz ligand (R- and S-[PtCl(2)(ahaz)], ahaz=3-aminohexahydroazepine) have been studied using 20-23 bp oligonucleotides containing TGGT and CGGA-binding sites as has the recognition of the adducts by HMG domain proteins. The domain A of HMGB1 (HMGB1a protein) binds to the adduct formed by the R enantiomer at the CGGA sequence with a similar high affinity as it does to the adduct of antitumor cisplatin, and to the adduct formed by the S enantiomer with a slightly lower affinity. In contrast, HMGB1a binds much more weakly to the ahaz adducts than to the cisplatin adducts formed at the TGGT sequence, with the binding to the adduct formed by the R enantiomer being weakest. Each enantiomer and cisplatin cause unwinding of both sequences that is in the narrow range, 19-22 degrees. There are modest but significant differences in the degree of bending induced, with the S enantiomer causing the least bending, cisplatin intermediate, and the R enantiomer the most. Molecular modeling of the {Pt(ahaz)}/GG adducts in 8-bp models reveals significant differences in the local distortion at the GG-binding sites depending on the flanking bases and shows that interactions between the thymine methyl groups and the ahaz ligand are likely to inhibit bending of the TGGT sequence.