Enrique J. Baran

Oxovanadium(IV) and oxovanadium(V) complexes relevant to biological systems.

Different aspects of the coordination chemistry of oxovanadium(IV) and oxovanadium(V), relevant to the bioinorganic chemistry of vanadium, are presented. Some of the investigated complexes are good models for different aspects of the metabolism and detoxification of vanadium or for a better characterization and understanding of the structural and electronic peculiarities of the coordination spheres of VO2+ and VO2+ in biomolecules. Their structural, spectroscopic and magnetic properties are briefly discussed. The investigated systems include ligands such as reduced and oxidized glutathione, L-ascorbic acid, nucleotides and related systems, carbohydrates, phosphates, carboxylic acids, oxine derivatives and some others.

Characterization of Calcium Oxalates Generated as Biominerals in Cacti

The chemical composition and morphology of solid material isolated from various Cactaceae species have been analyzed. All of the tested specimens deposited high-purity calcium oxalate crystals in their succulent modified stems. These deposits occurred most frequently as round-shaped druses that sometimes coexist with abundant crystal sand in the tissue. The biominerals were identified either as CaC2O4.2H2O (weddellite) or as CaC2O4.H2O (whewellite). Seven different species from the Opuntioideae subfamily showed the presence of whewellite, and an equal number of species from the Cereoideae subfamily showed the deposition of weddellite. The chemical nature of these deposits was assessed by infrared spectroscopy. The crystal morphology of the crystals was visualized by both conventional light and scanning electron microscopy. Weddellite druses were made up of tetragonal crystallites, whereas those from whewellite were most often recognized by their acute points and general star-like shape. These studies clearly demonstrated that members from the main traditional subfamilies of the Cactaceae family could synthesize different chemical forms of calcium oxalate, suggesting a definite but different genetic control. The direct relationship established between a given Cactaceae species and a definite calcium oxalate biomineral seems to be a useful tool for plant identification and chemotaxonomy.

IR-spectroscopic characterization of A2BB′O6 perovskites

Abstract A large series of ternary oxides of composition A 2 BB′O 6 and belonging to the perovskite structural type have been prepared and their structures confirmed by X-ray powder diffractometry. Most of these materials present deviations and distortions regarding the ideal perovskite structure. The infrared spectra of all the materials were recorded and briefly discussed in relation to their structural peculiarities and by comparison with those of related oxides. The usefulness of these compounds as substrates for the deposition of high T c superconducting films is commented.

IR spectra of VO2 and V2O3

Abstract IR spectra of the tetragonal modification of VO 2 and of the trigonal form of V 2 O 3 are recorded at room temperature and compared with that of V 2 O 5 . The investigated samples of the two lower-valent vanadium oxides, obtained on temperature-programmed reduction treatment, were also characterized with diffuse reflectance and electron-paramagnetic resonance spectra. The effect of atmospheric oxygen on these materials was revealed with XPS measurements and also studied with IR spectra.

A spectroscopy approach for the study of the interactions of bioactive vanadium species with bovine serum albumin

The interest in biological functions (benefits or toxics effects) of vanadium species has grown enormously in recent years. In this work, different spectroscopic methods were applied to study the effects of the interaction of vanadyl and vanadate species with bovine serum albumin (BSA), considered as the most abundant plasma protein. UV-Vis, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), and FT-Raman spectroscopies were used to investigate changes in secondary and tertiary structures of BSA induced by the binding of oxovanadium(IV) and vanadate(V) species (VO(2+) and VO3(-), respectively). Correlations between the metal ion binding mode, protein conformational transitions, and structural variations were established.

REVIEW: SPECTROSCOPIC STUDIES OF OXOVANADIUM COORDINATION COMPOUNDS

Abstract In this review we present selected examples of our studies of oxovanadium(IV) and oxovanadium(V) complexes relevant for the bioinorganic chemistry of vanadium. Some of the investigated complexes are good models for different steps of vanadium metabolism or for a better understanding of the structural and electronic peculiarities of the coordination spheres of these oxocations in biomolecules. The investigated systems include ligands such as nucleotides, carbohydrates, phosphates, amino acids, oxine derivatives, porphine-like cores and other simple organic and inorganic ligands. All these complexes have been systematically investigated by means of vibrational (infrared and Raman) and electronic spectroscopy and, in some cases, also by thermal and electrochemical behavior. The potentialities and possibilities of the spectroscopic methodologies are illustrated and discussed and some general trends, useful for the structural characterization of these and similar systems, are emphasized.

The saccharinate anion: a versatile and fascinating ligand in coordination chemistry

The saccharinate anion, obtained by deprotonation of the N-H moiety of saccharin (o-sulfobenzimide) is a very versatile and polyfunctional ligand in coordination chemistry. In this review the different forms of metal-to-ligand interactions involving this anion and some other coordination peculiarities are briefly discussed on the basis of some selected examples.

Kristallographische Daten und IR-Spektrum von AlVO4

The unit cell parameters of AlVO4 have been determined from powder diagrams. The compound pertains to the triclinic system and is isostructural wi7h FeVO4. The infrared spectra of AlVO4 and FeVO4 and of a series of solid solutions in the system AlVO4/FeVO4 has also been recorded and discussed.

Synthesis and characterization of three new Cu(II)-dipeptide complexes

Three new copper(II) complexes of stoichiometry [Cu(L-dipeptide)].nH(2)O, containing as ligands the dipeptides L-alanine-L-isoleucine, L-alanine-L-threonine and L-alanine-L-tyrosine were prepared. They were characterized by single crystal X-ray diffractometry, and electronic and infrared spectroscopy. In all cases, the Cu(II) cation has essentially the same elongated square pyramidal coordination, being equatorially cis coordinated by a N(2)O(2) arrangement of ligand atoms and axially by a carbonyl oxygen atom. The compounds show rather similar polymeric structures which resemble those recently reported for the [Cu(ala-val)] and [Cu(ala-phe)] complexes. The electronic and infrared spectra are briefly discussed on the basis of the structural peculiarities of the complexes. Superoxide dismutase (SOD)-like activity was also tested for the compounds.

Vanadium and cancer treatment: antitumoral mechanisms of three oxidovanadium(IV) complexes on a human osteosarcoma cell line.

We report herein the antitumor actions of three oxidovanadium(IV) complexes on MG-63 human osteosarcoma cell line. The three complexes: VO(oda), VO(oda)bipy and VO(oda)phen (oda=oxodiacetate), caused a concentration dependent inhibition of cell viability. The antiproliferative action of VO(oda)phen could be observed in the whole range of concentrations (at 2.5 μM), while VO(oda)bipy and VO(oda) showed a decrease of cell viability only at higher concentrations (at 50 and 75 μM, respectively) (p<0.01). Moreover, VO(oda)phen caused a decrease of lysosomal and mitochondrial activities at 2.5 μM, while VO(oda) and VO(oda)bipy affected neutral red uptake and mitochondrial metabolism at 50 μM (p<0.01). On the other hand, no DNA damage studied by the Comet assay could be observed in MG-63 cells treated with VO(oda) at 2.5-10 μM. Nevertheless, VO(oda)phen and VO(oda)bipy induced DNA damage at 2.5 and 10 μM, respectively (p<0.01). The generation of reactive oxygen species increased at 10 μM of VO(oda)phen and only at 100 μM of VO(oda) and VO(oda)bipy (p<0.01). Besides, VO(oda)phen and VO(oda)bipy triggered apoptosis as determined by externalization of the phosphatidylserine. The determination of DNA cleavage by agarose gel electrophoresis showed that the ability of VO(oda)(bipy) is similar to that of VO(oda), while VO(oda)(phen) showed the highest nuclease activity in this series. Overall, our results showed a good relationship between the bioactivity of the complexes and their structures since VO(oda)phen presented the most potent antitumor action in human osteosarcoma cells followed by VO(oda)bipy and then by VO(oda) according to the number of intercalating heterocyclic moieties.