Alessandro Dolmella

Ligating ability of 1,1′-bis(diphenylphosphino)ferrocene: a structural survey (1994–1998)

Abstract This paper outlines the ligating ability of 1,1′-bis(diphenylphosphino) ferrocene. The focus is on the extensive coordination chemistry exhibited by this ligand to transition metals. The structural parameters of mono-, bi- and polynuclear species are reviewed and simple relationships between some of these parameters are reported and discussed. The review mainly covers the X-ray structure determinations published over the 1994–98 period.

Structural overview of technetium compounds (1993–1999)

Abstract This paper investigates the structural aspects of technetium-containing complexes. The focus is on the description of the various coordination environments around the technetium center. The complexes are divided according to the coordination sphere and the most significant structural parameters are reviewed and discussed. The review covers the crystallographic determinations published in the years between 1993 and 1999.

Synthesis, characterization and electrochemical studies on technetium(V) and rhenium(V) oxo-complexes with N,N'-2-hydroxypropane-1,3-bis(salicylideneimine)

Ligand-exchange reactions of potential quinquedentate Schiff base ligands derived from salicylaldehyde and 1,3-diamino-2-hydroxypropane (H 3 L) with [MOCl 4 ] − (M = Tc and Re) have been investigated. The complexes [MOCl 2 (ROH)(H 2 L·HCl)] ( I ) (R = Me, Et), [ReOCl(HL)] ( II ) and μ-O[MO(HL)] 2 ( III ) were synthesized and characterized by the usual physicochemical measurements. Cyclic voltammetries for both III complexes reveal two separate and single-electron redox processes. The crystal structure of μ-O[TcO(HL)] 2 was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction methods. Crystals are monoclinic, space group P 2 1 / c , with a = 9.423(6), b = 19.666(9), c = 22.785(11) A, β = 99.41(4)° and Z = 4. X-ray diffraction provides 2842 observed reflections (up to θ = 40°) and the structure has been refined by full-matrix least-squares methods to R = 0.10. The ‘dimeric’ structure of μ-O[TcO(HL)] 2 consists of two distorted octahedral TcO(HL) moieties bridged by an oxygen atom which occupies the sixth coordination site of each moiety with the TcOTc angle nearly linear (173°).

Complexes of Oxorhenium(V) with Aromatic 2-Amino-Alcohols

Monooxo complexes of rhenium(V) with 2-aminophenol and some of its derivatives (H2nod), containing the N,O donor-atom set, have been synthesized. Square-pyramidal complexes [ReO(nod)2]− were isolated by reaction with (n-Bu4N) [ReOCl4] in ethanol. In benzene the neutral species [ReOCL(Hnod)2] were obtained. In the presence of hydrochloric acid in ethanol, the anionic complexes (n-Bu4N) [ReOCl3(Hnod)] were produced. Trans-[ReOCl3(PPh3)2] was also reacted with some of the H2nod ligands to yield [ReOCL2(Hnod)(PPh3]. The crystal structure of [ReOCl2(Hmap)(PPh3)] (H2map = 2-aminobenzylalcohol) was determined; crystals are monoclinic, P21/n, with a = 15.065(6), b = 11.253(7), c = 15.850(7) Å, β = 94.27(4)°, U = 2680(2) &Aringsup3; and Z = 4. The structure was solved by the Patterson method and refined by full-matrix least-squares techniques to R = 0.042. The monoanionic Hmap− ligand is coordinated as a bidentate through a neutral amino nitrogen and an anionic alcoholate oxygen atom, with the latter trans to the oxo group.

In Vitro and in Vivo Anticancer Activity of Copper(I) Complexes with Homoscorpionate Tridentate Tris(pyrazolyl)borate and Auxiliary Monodentate Phosphine Ligands

Tetrahedral copper(I) TpCuP complexes 1-15, where Tp is a N,N,N-tris(azolyl)borate and P is a tertiary phosphine, have been synthesized and characterized by means of NMR, ESI-MS, and XAS-EXAFS, and X-ray diffraction analyses on the representative complexes 1 and 10, respectively. All copper(I) complexes were evaluated for their antiproliferative activity against a panel of human cancer cell lines (including cisplatin and multidrug-resistant sublines). The two most effective complexes [HB(pz)3]Cu(PCN), 1, and [HB(pz)3]Cu(PTA), 2, showed selectivity toward tumor vs normal cells, inhibition of 26S proteasome activity associated with endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and unfolded protein response (UPR) activation. No biochemical hallmarks of apoptosis were detected, and morphology studies revealed an extensive cytoplasmic vacuolization coherently with a paraptosis-like cell death mechanism. Finally, the antitumor efficacy of complex 1 was validated in the murine Lewis Lung Carcinoma (LLC) model.

Synthesis, characterization and X-ray structural determination of palladium(0)–olefin complexes containing pyridin-thioethers as ancillary ligands. Equilibria and rates of olefin and ligand exchange

The synthesis of Pd(0)–olefin complexes with pyridin-thioether ligands R′NSR is reported. X-ray structure determinations of selected species are described. The dynamic behavior was studied by variable-temperature 1H-NMR spectrometry. Equilibrium constants for olefin and chelate ligand exchange were determined by UV–vis spectrophotometry in chloroform at 25°C. The following metal–olefin stability order was observed: tetramethylethylenetetracarboxylate (tmetc)≈naphthoquinone (nq)<fumaronitrile (fn)≈maleic anhydride (ma)≪tetracyanoethylene (tcne). The ligand exchange equilibrium constants indicate that α-diimines and pyridin-thioethers affect the stability of the metal–bidentate ligand arrangement to a similar extent, as found in similar Pd(II) complexes. When the entering olefin is tmetc, the approach to equilibrium is slow so that both second-order rate constants k2 and k−2 could be determined along with their activation parameters for the reversible reaction of [Pd(η2-nq)(HNSiPr)] with tmetc. The results indicate an associative mechanism to be operative in these olefin exchange processes.

Reactions of platinum(II)–nitrile complexes with amines. Synthesis, characterization and X-ray structure of the platinum(II)–amidine complex trans-[PtCl2{Z-N(H)C(NHMe)Me}2]

Abstract The reaction of trans -[PtCl 2 (NCMe) 2 ] with a 5-fold excess of MeNH 2 in CH 2 Cl 2 at −10°C affords in high yield the bis-amidine complex trans -[PtCl 2 { Z -N(H)C(NHMe)Me} 2 ] ( 1 ), where both the amidine ligands assume the Z configuration corresponding to the trans addition of the amine along the CN triple bond. Compound 1 has been fully characterized by spectroscopic techniques and also by X-ray diffraction analysis.

Synthesis and biological assays on cancer cells of dinuclear gold complexes with novel functionalised di(N-heterocyclic carbene) ligands.

New dinuclear di(N-heterocyclic carbene) silver(I), gold(I) and gold(III) complexes have been synthesised and their antiproliferative effects towards various cancer cell lines have been screened. The di(N-heterocyclic carbene) ligands have a propylene linker between the carbene moieties and the imidazole backbone has been functionalised with a 1-benzyl- or 1-PEG-1,2,3-triazole ring (PEG=poly(ethylene glycol)) via a CuAAC (copper azido alkyne cycloaddition) reaction. The resulting gold(I) and gold(III) complexes display an antiproliferative activity superior to that of the unfunctionalised pristine complexes together with a higher selectivity towards cancerous cells with respect to healthy cells.

Synthesis and characterization of azolate gold(I) phosphane complexes as thioredoxin reductase inhibiting antitumor agents

Following an increasing interest in the gold drug therapy field, nine new neutral azolate gold(I) phosphane compounds have been synthesized and tested as anticancer agents. The azolate ligands used in this study are pyrazolates and imidazolates substituted with deactivating groups such as trifluoromethyl, nitro or chloride moieties, whereas the phosphane co-ligand is the triphenylphosphane or the more hydrophilic TPA (TPA = 1,3,5-triazaphosphaadamantane). The studied gold(I) complexes are: (3,5-bis-trifluoromethyl-1H-pyrazolate-1-yl)-triphenylphosphane-gold(I) (1), (3,5-dinitro-1H-pyrazolate-1-yl)-triphenylphosphane-gold(I) (2), (4-nitro-1H-pyrazolate-1-yl)-triphenylphosphane-gold(I) (5), (4,5-dichloro-1H-imidazolate-1-yl)-triphenylphosphane-gold(I) (7), with the related TPA complexes (3), (4), (6) and (8) and (1-benzyl-4,5-di-chloro-2H-imidazolate-2-yl)-triphenylphosphane-gold(I) (9). The presence of deactivating groups on the azole rings improves the solubility of these complexes in polar media. Compounds 1-8 contain the N-Au-P environment, whilst compound 9 is the only one to contain a C-Au-P environment. Crystal structures for compounds 1 and 2 have been obtained and discussed. Interestingly, the newly synthesized gold(I) compounds were found to possess a pronounced cytotoxic activity on several human cancer cells, some of which were endowed with cis-platin or multidrug resistance. In particular, among azolate gold(I) complexes, 1 and 2 proved to be the most promising derivatives eliciting an antiproliferative effect up to 70 times higher than cis-platin. Mechanistic experiments indicated that the inhibition of thioredoxin reductase (TrxR) might be involved in the pharmacodynamic behavior of these gold species.

Complexation of 2-hydroxynicotinic and 3-hydroxypicolinic acids with zinc(II). Solution state study and crystal structure of trans-diaqua-bis-(3-hydroxypicolinato)zinc(II)

Abstract The interactions between zinc(II) and the two ligands 2-hydroxynicotinic acid (HNic) and 3-hydroxypicolinic acid (HPic) have been investigated by means of potentiometric titrations in aqueous 0.6 m (Na)Cl at 25 °C. In both cases, only mononuclear complexes are formed. The qualitative and quantitative results obtained have been confirmed in part by UV–Vis spectrophotometry and 1H NMR spectroscopy. The complex trans-diaqua-bis-(3-hydroxypicolinato)zinc(II) was obtained as a crystal and examined by X-ray crystallography. The thermodynamic results allow drawing some conclusions regarding the extent of Zn(II) interference in a hypothetical chelation therapy treatment of aluminium or iron overload with these two ligands.