Organometallic Derivatives of Orotic Acid. CO−Labilizing Ability of the Amido Group in Chromium and Tungsten Carbonyl Complexes

Synthesis, Structure and Impact of 5-Aminoorotic Acid and Its Complexes with Lanthanum(III) and Gallium(III) on the Activity of Xanthine Oxidase

The superoxide radical ion is involved in numerous physiological processes, associated with both health and pathology. Its participation in cancer onset and progression is well documented. Lanthanum(III) and gallium(III) are cations that are known to possess anticancer properties. Their coordination complexes are being investigated by the scientific community in the search for novel oncological disease remedies. Their complexes with 5-aminoorotic acid suppress superoxide, derived enzymatically from xanthine/xanthine oxidase (X/XO). It seems that they, to differing extents, impact the enzyme, or the substrate, or both. The present study closely examines their chemical structure by way of modern methods-IR, Raman, and 1H NMR spectroscopy. Their superoxide-scavenging behavior in the presence of a non-enzymatic source (potassium superoxide) is compared to that in the presence of an enzymatic source (X/XO). Enzymatic activity of XO, defined in terms of the production of uric acid, seems to be impacted by both complexes and the pure ligand in a concentration-dependent manner. In order to better relate the compounds' chemical characteristics to XO inhibition, they were docked in silico to XO. A molecular docking assay provided further proof that 5-aminoorotic acid and its complexes with lanthanum(III) and gallium(III) very probably suppress superoxide production via XO inhibition.

Developing drug molecules for therapy with carbon monoxide

The use of Carbon Monoxide (CO) as a therapeutic agent has already been tested in human clinical trials. Pre-clinically, CO gas administration proved beneficial in animal models of various human diseases. However, the use of gaseous CO faces serious obstacles not the least being its well-known toxicity. To fully realise the promise of CO as a therapeutic agent, it is key to find novel avenues for CO delivery to diseased tissues in need of treatment, without concomitant formation of elevated, toxic blood levels of carboxyhemoglobin (COHb). CO-releasing molecules (CO-RMs) have the potential to constitute safe treatments if CO release in vivo can be controlled in a spatial and temporal manner. It has already been demonstrated in animals that CO-RMs can release CO and mimic the therapeutic effects of gaseous CO. While demonstrating the principle of treatment with CO-RMs, these first generation compounds are not suitable for human use. This tutorial review summarises the biological and chemical behaviour of CO, the current status of CO-RM development, and derives principles for the creation of the next generation of CO-RMs for clinical applications in humans.

An experimental and theoretical investigation of the carbon dioxide insertion process into the tungsten-nitrogen bond of an anionic W(0) complex

The pyridine bound 2-aminopyridine (2APH) derivative of tungsten pentacarbonyl has been prepared from photogenerated W(CO)5THF and 2APH. Deprotonation of the distal amine group by sodium hydride has provided two complexes, [Na][W(CO)5(2AP)] and [Na]2[W(CO)4(2AP)]2. Both complexes have been characterized by X-ray crystallography with the monomeric derivative being crystallized as its [Na2(18-crown-6)][W(CO)5(2AP)]2 salt which exhibits strong Na+...-NH interactions. Photolysis of W(CO)6 in the presence of excess 2-aminopyridine in THF has led to an efficient synthesis of the chelated neutral derivative, W(CO)4(2APH).2APH, where the extra equivalent of 2APH is hydrogen bonded to its bound counterpart. The 2-aminopyridine molecule of solvation was almost quantitatively removed via aqueous washings. Deprotonation of W(CO)4(2APH) with NaH afforded the amidopyridine derivative which was shown to rapidly undergo reaction with CO2 to yield the chelated carbamate complex, W(CO)4(OC(O)2AP)-. Nevertheless, because of the presence of small quantities of free 2-aminopyridine during the reactions with CO2, we have not been able to conclusively rule out participation by a ligand substitution process involving NC5H4NHCOOH. Ab initio computations were found to substantiate many of these experimental observations. That is, in the monodentate bound W(CO)5(2APH) derivative, binding through the pyridine nitrogen atom is favored by about 29 kJ/mol over the amine nitrogen atom, whereas the opposite site for binding is preferred for the deprotonated amido analogue, W(CO)5(2AP)-. Furthermore, both forms of W(CO)5(2AP)- were found to be more stable than the chelated tungsten tetracarbonyl anion plus CO. On the other hand, CO2 insertion into the W(CO)4(2AP)- anion to provide the chelated carbamate, W(CO)4(OC(O)2AP)-, was thermodynamically favored by >110 kJ/mol. Finally, both experimental and theoretical studies were inconclusive with regard to identifying reaction intermediates during the CO2 insertion pathway which involve prior interactions of CO2 at the amido nitrogen center.

Theoretical Study of the Electronic Structure of Group 6 [M(CO)(5)X](-) Species (X = NH(2), OH, Halide, H, CH(3)) and a Reinvestigation of the Role of pi-Donation in CO Lability

Density functional calculations have been employed to investigate the electronic structure of [M(CO)(5)X](-) species (M = Cr, Mo, W; X = NH(2), OH, halide, H, CH(3)) and to compute CO ligand dissociation energies. The calculations indicate that CO loss is most facile from the cis position, and CO dissociation energies are computed to increase along the series X = NH(2) < OH < F < Cl < Br < I < CH(3) < H. These results are in agreement with available experimental data. Trends in CO dissociation are related to the ability of X to stabilize the unsaturated 16e [M(CO)(4)X](-) species formed. In addition, pi-destabilization of the ground-state [M(CO)(5)X](-) species is equally significant. Analysis of the electronic structure of the 18e species shows that Xpi-dpi 4e destabilization results in hybridization at the metal center which enhances trans M-CO but reduces cis M-CO pi-back-donation. Strong pi-donation from X also induces sigma-antibonding interactions between the metal and the cis CO ligands. A fragment analysis reveals that these effects are strongest for the "hard" fluoride, hydroxide, and amide ligands.

Coordination Chemistry, Structure, and Reactivity of Thiouracil Derivatives of Tungsten(0) Hexacarbonyl: A Theoretical and Experimental Investigation into the Chelation/Dechelation of Thiouracil via CO Loss and Addition

The synthesis of 2-thiouracil and 6-methyl-2-uracil derivatives of tungsten carbonyl from the reaction of photogenerated W(CO)(5)(solvent) (solvent = MeOH or THF) and the corresponding [Et(4)N][thiouracilate] is described. The crystal structure of the [Et(4)N][W(CO)(5)(2-thiouracilate)], 1, derivative is reported where the thiouracilate is found to be bound to the tungsten center via the exocyclic sulfur atom. In the solid-state structure of 1 two anions are associated by means of two hydrogen bonds between the metal bound nucleobases. These pentacarbonyl complexes stereoselectively lose cis carbonyl ligands, as is apparent from (13)C-labeling studies, to provide the endocyclic nitrogen N(1)-chelated tungsten tetracarbonyl derivatives, e.g., [Et(4)N][W(CO)(4)(2-thiouracilate)], 3. The kinetics of the loss of CO from the pentacarbonyl anions to afford the metal tetracarbonyls, and the reverse of that process, were monitored by means of in situ infrared spectroscopy in the nu(CO) region as a function of temperature. These studies reveal that the tetracarbonyl anions in CO-saturated acetonitrile ([CO] approximately 6 x 10(-)(3) M) are unstable with respect to the formation of the pentacarbonyl derivatives, i.e., the equilibrium 1 right harpoon over left harpoon 3 + CO lies to the left under an atmosphere of carbon monoxide. From the activation parameters determined for the dissociative CO loss process (DeltaH() = 82.0 +/- 3.6 kJ mol(-)(1) and DeltaS() = -44.9 +/- 9.6 J mol(-)(1) K(-)(1) for complex 1) it is apparent that the sulfur-bound thiouracilate ligand is serving as a pi-donor during CO dissociation, i.e., behaving as a cis-labilizing ligand. Ab initio geometry optimizations carried out for the process 1 right harpoon over left harpoon 3 + CO at the Hartree-Fock and DFT levels support these experimental observations. For example, complex 1 is shown to be more stable than 3 + CO and chelation via the endocyclic N(1) donor is favored over N(3) binding. Finally, the "16-electron" intermediate resulting from CO dissociation in 1 was found to possess a significantly shortened W-S interaction, presumably due to the pi-donating ability of the thiouracilate ligand.