Promising anticancer mono- and dinuclear ruthenium(III) dithiocarbamato complexes: systematic solution studies

During the last decade, our research group has prepared a number of metal dithiocarbamato derivatives of Pt, Pd and Au that were expected to resemble the main features of cisplatin together with higher activity, improved selectivity and bioavailability, and lower side-effects. Furthermore, we have already published the synthesis, characterization and in vitro cytotoxicity studies of novel ruthenium(III) dithiocarbamato complexes such as [RuL(3)] monomers (11) and α-[Ru(2)L(5)]Cl dimers (12) with five different dithiocarbamate ligands. As both the monomer and the dinuclear complexes have shown significant antitumor activity in different human tumor cell lines, we decided to widen the characterization studies and to analyse thoroughly their behavior in physiological-like medium by UV-visible and CD spectroscopy. In the present paper we report on the crystal structure of [Ru(DMDT)(3)], [Ru(PDT)(3)] and [Ru(ESDT)(3)] complexes and we determine the spin state of the paramagnetic Ru(III) by means of Evans' method. Then, we discuss in detail the UV-visible spectral data of the complexes in different medium. All the studied complexes are stable in dimethyl sulfoxide, and show low solubility in phosphate buffered saline solution, particularly the monomer species, even at low concentration, while increased solubility for both types of complexes have been found in the presence of bovine serum albumin (BSA). Moreover, no changes on the coordination sphere of the metal, as well as no direct interaction between the BSA protein and the complex have been identified by UV-visible spectroscopy. However, some conformational changes on the BSA structure, induced by the ruthenium(III) complexes have been confirmed by CD spectroscopy, indicating a probable secondary electrostatic interaction between the metal complex and the peptide. In addition, no significant interaction has been demonstrated with the components of Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's Medium, used for the in vitro assays.     

Über die Änderung des respiratorischen Quotienten von Hefezellen bei der Übertragung aus einem Wachstumsmedium in ein Sporulierungsmedium und die Umkehrbarkeit dieses Effekts

Ohne ZusammenfassungMit 3 Abbildungen     

Impact of the Oxygen Defects and the Hydrogen Concentration on the Surface of Tetragonal and Monoclinic ZrO2 on the Reduction Rates of Stearic Acid on Ni/ZrO2

The role of the specific physicochemical properties of ZrO₂ phases on Ni/ZrO₂ has been explored with respect to the reduction of stearic acid. Conversion on pure m‐ZrO₂ is 1.3 times more active than on t‐ZrO₂, whereas Ni/m‐ZrO₂ is three times more active than Ni/t‐ZrO₂. Although the hydrodeoxygenation of stearic acid can be catalyzed solely by Ni, the synergistic interaction between Ni and the ZrO₂ support causes the variations in the reaction rates. Adsorption of the carboxylic acid group on an oxygen vacancy of ZrO₂ and the abstraction of the α‐hydrogen atom with the elimination of the oxygen atom to produce a ketene is the key to enhance the overall rate. The hydrogenated intermediate 1‐octadecanol is in turn decarbonylated to heptadecane with identical rates on all catalysts. Decarbonylation of 1‐octadecanol is concluded to be limited by the competitive adsorption of reactants and intermediate. The substantially higher adsorption of propionic acid demonstrated by IR spectroscopy and the higher reactivity to O₂ exchange reactions with the more active catalyst indicate that the higher concentration of active oxygen defects on m‐ZrO₂ compared to t‐ZrO₂ causes the higher activity of Ni/m‐ZrO₂.     

Contribution of individual flavonoids in Lysimachia species to the antioxidant capacity based on HPLC-DPPH assay

Quantitative phytochemical characterisation of the chief flavonoid aglycones in the hydrolysed Lysimachia extracts revealed the dominance of kaempferol, quercetin and myricetin in L. vulgaris, L. nummularia, L. punctata, L. christinae, L. ciliata and L. clethroides, respectively. Due to the significant radical scavenging capacity of the samples, the contribution of the individual aglycones to the total antioxidant activity became of interest. Therefore, a HPLC method coupled to pre-column DPPH scavenging assay was developed. Differences in the six Lysimachia species’ phenolic composition regarding their participation to the antioxidant activity were revealed. The participation of the three investigated flavonoids to the radical quenching activity was the highest (91.2%) in the L. vulgaris sample, the lowest in L. christinae sample with 29.6%. In L. vulgaris sample, the 76.3% contribution of quercetin to the scavenger capacity was the highest peak area decrement ratio among the investigated samples.     

Activation of metal hydride complexes by tri-tert-butylphosphine-platinum and -palladium groups

The compounds HM(CO)4SnPh3, M = Os (10), Ru (11) are activated in the presence of Pt(PBut3)2 and Pd(PBu(t)3)2 toward the insertion of PhC2H into the M-H bond. The compounds PtOs(CO)4(SnPh3)(PBu(t)3)[mu-HCC(H)Ph], 12, and PtOs(CO)4(SnPh3)(PBu(t)3)[mu-H2CCPh], 13, were obtained from the reaction of 10 with PhC2H in the presence of Pt(PBu(t)3)2. Compounds 12 and 13 are isomers containing alkenyl ligands formed by the insertion of the PhC2H molecule into the Os-H bond at both the substituted and unsubstituted carbon atoms of the alkyne. Both compounds contain a Pt(PBu(t)3) group that is bonded to the osmium atom and a bridging alkenyl ligand that is pi-bonded to the osmium atom. The reaction of 11 with PhC2H in the presence of Pt(PBu(t)3)2 yielded the products PtRu(CO)4(SnPh3)(PBu(t)3)[mu-HC2(H)Ph], 14, and PtRu(CO)4(SnPh3)(PBut3)[mu-H2C2Ph], 15, which are also isomers similar to 12 and 13. The reaction of 11 with PhC2H in the presence of Pd(PBu(t)3)2 yielded the product PdRu(CO)4(SnPh3)(PBu(t)3)[mu-H2C2Ph], 16. Compound 16 contains a Pd(PBu(t)3) group bonded to the ruthenium atom and a bridging H2C2Ph ligand that is pi-bonded to the palladium atom. Compound 10 reacted with Pt(PBu(t)3)2 in the absence of PhC2H to yield the compound PtOs(CO)4(SnPh3)(PBu(t)3)(mu-H), 17. Compound 17 is a Pt(PBu(t)3) adduct of 10. It contains a Pt-Os bond with a bridging hydrido ligand. Compound 17 reacted with PhC2H to yield 12. Compound 12 reacted with PhC2H to yield the compound PtOs(CO)3(SnPh3)(PBu(t)3)[mu-HCC(Ph)C(H)C(H)Ph], 18. Compound 18 contains a bridging 2,4-diphenylbutadienyl ligand, HCC(Ph)C(H)C(H)Ph, that is pi-bonded to the osmium atom and sigma-bonded to the platinum atom. Fenkse-Hall molecular orbitals of 17 were calculated. The LUMO of 17 exhibits an empty orbital on the platinum atom that appears to be the most likely site for PhC2H addition prior to its insertion into the Os-H bond.     

Synthesis, characterization, and electronic structures of a series of two-dimensional trimetallic cluster complexes, Ru3(CO)9(mu-SnPh2)3[Pt(PBu(t)3)]x, x = 0-3

The triruthenium-tritin cluster complex, Ru3(CO)9(mu-SnPh2)3, 13 was obtained from the reaction of Ru3(CO)12 with Ph3SnH. Compound 13 reacts with Pt(PBut3)2 to yield three new Pt(PBut3) adducts of 13 Ru3(CO)9(mu-SnPh2)3[Pt(PBut3)]x, 14-16 x = 1 - 3 formed by the addition of Pt(PBut3) groups to the Ru-Sn bonds. The new complexes form a novel series of trimetallic complexes having planar arrangements of the metal atoms. The UV-vis absorptions of the four complexes shift progressively to longer wavelengths as the number of platinum atoms is added to the cluster. The electronic structures of these complexes have been investigated in the ground and excited states by density functional theory and time-dependent density functional theory, and this has provided a detailed understanding of the metal-metal bonding and electronic transitions that are responsible for their UV-vis absorption properties. The predicted absorption maximum for the model structures for 13, 14, 15, and 16 at 465, 508, 556, and 585 nm differ only 4-18 nm from the experimental values of 474, 490, 552, and 576 nm. The shift of principal UV-vis absorption can be explained by a lowering of the HOMO-LUMO energy gap due to interactions of the platinum atoms with the HOMO and LUMO of the Ru3Sn3 core.     

Masked imidazolyl-dipyrromethanes in the synthesis of imidazole-substituted porphyrins

Imidazole-substituted metalloporphyrins are valuable for studies of self-assembly and for applications where water solubility is required. Rational syntheses of porphyrins bearing one or two imidazol-2-yl or imidazol-4-yl groups at the meso positions have been developed. The syntheses employ dipyrromethanes, 1-acyldipyrromethanes, and 1,9-diacyldipyrromethanes bearing an imidazole group at the 5-position. The polar, reactive imidazole unit was successfully masked by use of (1) the 2-(trimethylsilyl)ethoxymethyl (SEM) group at the imidazole pyrrolic nitrogen, and (2) a dialkylboron motif bound to the pyrrole of the dipyrromethane and coordinated to the imidazole imino nitrogen. The nonpolar nature of such doubly masked imidazolyl-dipyrromethanes facilitated handling. Selected masked dipyrromethanes were characterized by 11B and 15N NMR spectroscopy. Five distinct methods were examined to obtain trans-A2B2-, trans-AB2C-, and trans-AB-porphyrins. Each porphyrin contained one or two SEM-protected imidazole units. The SEM group could be removed with TBAF or HCl. Two zinc(II) porphyrins and a palladium(II) porphyrin bearing a single imidazole moiety were prepared and subjected to alkylation (with ethyl iodide, 1,3-propane sultone, or 1,4-butane sultone) to give water-soluble imidazolium- porphyrins. This work establishes the foundation for the rational synthesis of a variety of porphyrins containing imidazole units.     

Genotyping with microfluidic devices

In the past few years, electrophoresis microchips have been increasingly utilized to interrogate genetic variations in the human and other genomes. Microfluidic devices can be readily applied to speed up existing genotyping protocols, in particular the ones that require electric field-mediated separations in conjunction with restriction fragment analysis, DNA sequencing, hybridization-based techniques, allele-specific amplification, heteroduplex analysis, just to list the most important ones. As a result of recent developments, microfabricated electrophoresis devices offer several advantages over conventional slab-gel electrophoresis, such as small sample volume requirement, low reagent consumption, the option of system integration and easy multiplexing. The analysis speed of microchip electrophoresis is significantly higher than that of any other electric field-mediated separation techniques. State-of-the-art microfluidic bioanalytical devices already claim their place in most molecular biology laboratories. This review summarizes the recent developments in microchip electrophoresis methods of nucleic acids, particularly for rapid genotyping, that will most likely play a significant role in the future of clinical diagnostics.