Anti‐cancer potential of selenium‐ and tellurium‐containing species: opportunities abound!

An overview highlighting the anti‐cancer potential of (bio‐essential) selenium‐ and tellurium‐containing species, with an emphasis on biological targets and mechanisms of action, is presented. Studies thus far have focused on selenium(II) compounds (along with – to a lesser extent – inorganic selenium and selenium nanoparticles) which often successfully exploit the inherent anti‐oxidizing ability of selenium. Significantly less work has been conducted in developing anti‐cancer tellurium compounds, yet two tellurium(IV) species are proven, clinically, as anti‐cancer agents. Given the prevalence of the disease and the accumulated insights into mechanisms of action, the continued development of selenium‐ and tellurium‐containing molecules is an area deserving greater attention. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Spectroscopic and X‐ray structural characterization of new polymeric organotin(IV) carboxylates and their in vitro antifungal activities: Part II

The reactions of R₃SnCl (R = Me, Bu or Ph) with sodium 4‐phenylbutyrate, Na(OPh^b), in EtOH yielded three polymeric triorganotin carboxylates, namely [R₃Sn(OPh^b)]_n (R = Me ( 1 ), Bu ( 2 ) or Ph ( 3 )). All complexes were spectroscopically characterized using Fourier transform infrared, ¹¹⁹Sn Mössbauer, ¹H NMR, ¹³C{¹H} NMR and ¹¹⁹Sn{¹H} NMR spectral techniques. In addition, the crystal structures of 1 and 3 were determined using single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction. Their polymeric structures are sustained by bridging carboxylates which connect two five‐coordinate Sn(IV) centres. Each metallic cation displays a distorted trigonal bipyramidal coordination geometry (Addison's parameters ranging from 0.84 in 1 to 0.77–0.91 in 3 ), with the oxygen atoms occupying the apical positions and the organic groups at the equatorial corners. The one‐dimensional zigzag chains of 1 propagate along the b ‐axis, whereas 3 displays wave‐like double polymeric chains along the b ‐axis. For both 1 and 3 , parallel one‐dimensional polymeric chains are interconnected by C─H⋅⋅⋅π interactions. The antifungal activity of 1 – 3 was screened against Candida albicans (ATCC 18804), C. tropicalis (ATCC 750), C. glabrata (ATCC 90030), C. parapsilosis (ATCC 22019), C. lusitaniae (CBS 6936) and C. dubliniensis (clinical isolate 28). The antifungal activity of 3 was noteworthy since it was not only more active than 1 and 2 , but also more active than the control drugs (nystatin and fluconazole nitrate) in some cases.     

Sensitive detection of drug vapors using an ion funnel interface for secondary electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

In this study, we use an ion funnel (IF) at ambient pressure to enhance the sensitivity of secondary electrospray ionization (SESI). Atenolol, salbutamol and cocaine as test compounds are delivered to the SESI interface in the gas phase and are charged with three nano electrosprays. In our experiments, we show that the compounds can be detected at concentrations in the low pptv range, which is an increase of two orders of magnitude compared with the results without the IF. With a standard SESI interface, the compounds could not be detected at all. With the use of the SESI IF interface for the headspace analysis of bananas and limes, we can detect many more compounds and at higher intensities than with a standard SESI interface. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Recent advances in the synthesis,biological activities and various applications of ferrocene derivatives

Ferrocene derivatives constitute an important class of organometallic compounds with not only an extensive range of biological activities but also diverse industrial as well as material science applications. These stimulating features of ferrocene derivatives spurred us to review the recent advances in synthesis methods and biological and other applications reported in the latest literature. An effort has been made to summarize the recent developments in synthetic methods providing access to ferrocene scaffolds and the useful medicinal and material applications, including agricultural, catalytic, polymer, conducting, redox mediating, ferrocenyl stationary phase, rocket propellant and ion sensing applications. Ferrocene‐based bulky metallocenes are also discussed.     

Analysis and Fate of Dibenzothiophene Derivatives in the Marine Environment

Abstract

Dibenzothiophene (DBT) and related methylated derivatives are known to be among the most persistent and probably the most toxic PAH in the marine environment. Their analysis and their fate by photo-oxidation and biodegradation were studied.

The methylated DBT isomers, provided that they are resolved by high resolution GC, were used as organic markers of oil pollution in oysters. The determination of the relative distribution of the four monomethyl DBT allowed to characterize the source of pollution in an oyster-area in the North Brittany (France).

The fate of methylated DBT compounds was studied in a controlled sea-water enclosure where Arabian light oil was spilled. Analysis of the weathered oil showed that: (i) oil was degraded by photo-oxidation at a rate of 0.004% day; (ii) the half-lives of photolysis of methylated DBT was dependent upon the number of methyl groups on the aromatic nucleus: 8 days for DBT, 20 days for methyl-1 DBT and more than 2 years for trimethylated DBT. Compounds solubilized in the water column were identified as methyl-substituted dibenzothiophene sulfoxides and sulfones by HPLC with synchrofluorescence and GC-flame photometric detection.

The metabolic pathway of DBT was established in vitro. Rat microsomes transformed this substrate to DBT-5-oxide and subsequently to DBT-5-dioxide. Such an enzymatic S-oxidation was shown to be principally Cytochrome-P-450 dependent. It is suggested that the mixed-function oxidase (MFO) activity of marine species could be evaluated by this S-oxidation test in addition to the usual aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase.     

Synthesis,characterization, density functional theory,X‐ray study,thermal stability,and biological and MOE relevance of metal complexes of griseofulvin

Metal(II) and metal(III) coordination compounds of griseofulvin (GFV) drug were synthesized. The structure of the ligand was determined on the basis of elemental analyses, infrared and ¹H NMR spectroscopies and thermal studies. GFV behaved as a neutral tridentate chelating agent and coordinated to metal ions through three oxygen atoms: two methoxy groups and oxygen atom of furan ring. Metal complexes were characterized by means of elemental analyses and molar conductance, spectral (infrared, electron spin resonance) and thermal studies. All the complexes showed molar conductance behaviour corresponding to an electrolytic nature. All the complexes showed octahedral geometry, except [Zn(GFV)Cl]Cl that showed tetrahedral geometry. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were employed to understand and estimate the contribution of each interaction in the formation of the assembly using several theoretical models. The computed parameters from DFT calculations for structure optimizations and vibrational frequencies were in good agreement with the experimental data. Newly synthesized metal complexes in addition to GFV were examined against opportunistic pathogens. The biological applications of complexes were studied with two Gram‐positive bacteria (Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus) and two Gram‐negative bacteria (Escherichia coli and Neisseria gonorrhoeae) as well as their antifungal activity against Candida albicans. Results suggested that metal complexes were more biologically sensitive than free ligand. The complexes showed a moderate inhibition of MCF7 breast cancer cell line growth. Molecular docking studies further helped in understanding the mode of action of the compounds through their various interactions with the crystal structures of: human serum albumin (PDB: 5FUO), Staphylococcus aureus nucleoside (PDB: 3Q8U), human acetylcholinesterase (PDB: 1B41) and the human DNA–Topo I complex (PDB: 1SC7).     

Miscellaneous applications of ferrocene‐based peptides/amides

This article provides a critical review of the different applications of ferrocene‐based peptides/amides in biological as well as in non‐biological systems. Ferrocene‐based peptides/amides find many applications in different fields such as materials science, medicine, organic synthesis, bio‐organometallic and biological chemistry, asymmetric catalysis, nonlinear optics, in polymer science as redox active polymers and dendrimers, in molecular recognition as biosensors and in electrochemistry). Extensive research is being done on ferrocene‐based peptides/amides but we will highlight the various applications of ferrocene‐based peptides/amides for the period 2006–2010. The main factors that govern the potential biological and non‐biological applications are an electroactive core, a conjugated linker that can act as a chromophore and lower the oxidation potential of the ferrocene part, an amino acid or peptide derivative that can interact with other molecules via hydrogen bonding or any secondary bonding, and symmetric and asymmetric substitution on the ferrocene moiety. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

ESR EVIDENCE OF AN ELECTRON TRANSFER BETWEEN ARYLPHOSPHINES AND ARYLNITROSO COMPOUNDS

Abstract

Electron transfer between arylphosphines and arylnitroso compounds gives rise to the formation of free radicals which have been characterized by esr     

An Efficient Synthesis of New Substituted Spiro Pyrazolethieno,Pyrimidinethieno, and Benzodiazepinethieno Pyridazine Derivatives with Biological Activities

3-Ethyl 2-amino-4-methyl-5-phenyl thiophene carboxylate 1 was used as a starting material to synthesize 2a,b via coupling with malononitrile or acetyl acetone, respectively. When heated, under reflux in sodium ethoxide solution, 2a,b give 3a,b. On the other hand, when compounds 3a,b were heated under reflux in ethanol with hydrazine hydrate, thiourea, or 1,1-phenylenediamine hydrochloride and a catalytic amount of piperidine 4a,b, 5a,b and 6a,b, were produced, respectively. The new compounds were tested for their antimicrobial activity. Compounds 2a–6b showed antibacterial activities, and 2a,2b and 4b showed antifungal activities.

Supplemental materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of Phosphorus, Sulfur, and Silicon and the Related Elements to view the free supplemental file.     

Transformation of Phosphaalkynes into 1H- and 2H-Phosphirenes1

Abstract

The 2H-phosphirene 4 is synthesized from the spirocyclic 3H-1,2,4-diazaphosphole 1 by low temperature photolysis. The isomeric 1H-phosphirenes 7 are formed by a [2+1]-cycloaddition process of chlorocarbenes, generated from diazirines. onto the triple bond of phosphaalkynes. When the 1-chlon-1H-phosphirenes 7 are allowed to react with a series of nucleophiles substitution occurs yielding the 1H-phosphirenes 9, 11 and 12. The existance of a phosphirenium cations, for instance 13 is discussed.