Unravelling conformational and crystal packing preferences of cyclohexane-5-spirohydantoin derivatives incorporating a halogenated benzoyl group

The conformational and supramolecular diversity of spirohydantoins have been investigated.

Latency control of chemical reactions in polymerization of epoxy resins using a hydrogen bonding network

Latency control on the basis of molecular design of a solid state by introducing hydrogen bonding into epoxy curing agents.

Synthesis, Spectroscopic Properties, Crystal Structure And Biological Evaluation of New Platinum Complexes with 5-methyl-5-(2-thiomethyl)ethyl Hydantoin

BACKGROUND

The accidental discovery of Cisplatin's growth-inhibiting properties a few decades ago led to the resurgence of interest in metal-based chemotherapeutics. A number of well-discussed factors such as severe systemic toxicity and unfavourable physicochemical properties further limit the clinical application of the platinating agents. Great efforts have been undertaken in the development of alternative platinum derivatives with an extended antitumor spectrum and amended toxicity profile as compared to the reference drug cisplatin. The rational design of conventional platinum analogues and the re-evaluation of the empirically derived "structure- activity" relationships allowed for the synthesis of platinum complexes with great diversity in structural characteristics, biochemical stability and antitumor properties.

METHODS

The new compounds have been studied by elemental analyses, IR, NMR and mass spectral analyses. The structures of the organic compound and one of the new mixed/ammine Pt(II) complexes were studied by X-ray diffraction analysis. The cytotoxic effects of the compounds were studied vs. the referent antineoplastic agent cisplatin against four human tumour cell lines using the standard MTT-dye reduction assay for cell viability. The most promising complex 3 was investigated for acute toxicity in male and female H-albino-mice models.

RESULTS

A new organic compound (5-methyl-5-(2-thiomethyl)ethyl hydantoin) L bearing both S- and Ncoordinating sites and three novel platinum complexes, 1, 2 and 3 were synthesized and studied. Spectral and structural characterization concluded monodentate S-driven coordination of the ligand L to the metal center in complexes 1 and 2, whereas the same was acted as a bidentate N,S-chelator in complex 3. Ligand L crystallizes in the tetragonal space group I41/a (No 88) with one molecule per asymmetric unit. While complex 3 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P21/c (No 14) with one molecule per asymmetric unit. In the same complex 3, the platinum ion coordinates an L ligand, a chloride ion and an ammonia molecule. In the in vitro experiments, the tested L and complexes 1 and 2 exhibited negligible cytotoxic activity in all tumor models. Accordingly, complex 3 is twice as potent as cisplatin in the HT-29 cells and is at least as active as cisplatin on the MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell line. In the in vivo toxicity estimation of complex 3 no signs of common toxicity were observed.

CONCLUSION

The Pt(II)-bidentate complex 3 exhibited significant cytotoxic potential equaling or surpassing that of the reference drug cisplatin in all the tested tumor models. Negligible anticancer activity on the screened tumor types has been shown by the ligand L and its Pt(II) and Pt(IV) complexes 1 and 2, respectively. Our study on the acute toxicity of the most active complex 3 proved it to be non-toxic in mice models.

5-Methylhydantoin: From Isolated Molecules in a Low-Temperature Argon Matrix to Solid State Polymorphs Characterization

The molecular structure, vibrational spectra and photochemistry of 5-methylhydantoin (C₄H₆N₂O₂; 5-MH) were studied by matrix isolation infrared spectroscopy and theoretical calculations at the DFT(B3LYP)/6-311++G(d,p) theory level. The natural bond orbital (NBO) analysis approach was used to study in detail the electronic structure of the minimum energy structure of 5-MH, namely the specific characteristics of the σ and π electronic systems of the molecule and the stabilizing orbital interactions. UV irradiation of 5-MH isolated in argon matrix resulted in its photofragmentation through a single photochemical pathway, yielding isocyanic acid, ethanimine, and carbon monoxide, thus following a pattern already observed before for the parent hydantoin and 1-methylhydantoin molecules. The investigation of the thermal properties of 5-MH was undertaken by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), polarized light thermal microscopy (PLTM) and Raman spectroscopy. Four different polymorphs of 5-MH were identified. The crystal structure of one of the polymorphs, for which it was possible to grow up suitable crystals, was determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD). Two of the additional polymorphs were characterized by powder XRD, which confirmed the molecules pack in different crystallographic arrangements.

Hydrogen-bond coordination in organic crystal structures: statistics, predictions and applications

Statistical models to predict the number of hydrogen bonds that might be formed by any donor or acceptor atom in a crystal structure have been derived using organic structures in the Cambridge Structural Database. This hydrogen-bond coordination behaviour has been uniquely defined for more than 70 unique atom types, and has led to the development of a methodology to construct hypothetical hydrogen-bond arrangements. Comparing the constructed hydrogen-bond arrangements with known crystal structures shows promise in the assessment of structural stability, and some initial examples of industrially relevant polymorphs, co-crystals and hydrates are described.