Eugenia Katsoulakou

Insights into the role of zinc(II) sites in hydrolytic enzymes: study of the ZnII/X/(py)2CO (X=Cl−, N3−, SO42−; ) reaction systems

Abstract A bioinorganic model approach for the investigation of substrate activation by zinc active sites in hydrolytic enzymes has been initiated. Several reaction schemes involving the substrate analogue di-2-pyridyl ketone, (py)2CO, and Zn(II) sources afforded the new complexes [ ZnCl 2 {( py ) 2 CO }]( 1 ) , [ ZnCl 2 {( py ) 2 C ( OMe )( OH )}]( 2 ) , [ Zn 2 Cl 2 {( py ) 2 C ( OMe ) O } 2 ]( 3 ) , [ Zn 2 ( N 3 ) 2 {( py ) 2 C ( OMe ) O } 2 ]( 4 ) and [ Zn 2 ( SO 4 ) 2 {( py ) 2 C ( OMe )( OH )} 2 ( MeOH ) 2 ]( 5 ) , which have been characterized by single-crystal X-ray crystallography and spectroscopic techniques. The chemical and structural identity of the products depends on the solvent, the hydroxide concentration and the nature of the inorganic anion. The biological relevance of the prepared complexes is also discussed.

Diorganotin(IV) complexes of dipeptides containing the α-aminoisobutyryl residue (Aib): Preparation, structural characterization, antibacterial and antiproliferative activities of [(n-Bu)2Sn(H−1L)] (LH = H-Aib-L-Leu-OH, H-Aib-L-Ala-OH)

Two new organotin(IV) complexes with dianionic dipeptides containing the alpha-aminoisobutyryl residue (Aib) as ligands are described. The solid complexes [(n-Bu)(2)Sn(H(-1)L(A))] x 2MeOH (1 x 2MeOH) (L(A)H=H-Aib-L-Leu-OH) and [(n-Bu)(2)Sn(H(-1)L(B))] x MeOH (2 x MeOH) (L(B)H=H-Aib-L-Ala-OH) have been isolated and characterized by single-crystal X-ray crystallography and spectroscopic techniques (H(-1)L(2-) is the dianionic form of the corresponding dipeptide). Complexes 1 x 2MeOH and 2 x MeOH are monomeric with similar molecular structures. The doubly deprotonated dipeptide behaves as a N(amino), N(peptide), O(carboxylate) ligand and binds to the Sn(IV) atom. The five-coordinate metal ion has a distorted trigonal bipyramidal geometry. A different network of intermolecular hydrogen bonds in each compound results in very dissimilar supramolecular features. The IR, far-IR, Raman and (119)Sn NMR data are discussed in terms of the nature of bonding and known structures. The antibacterial and antiproliferative activities as well as the effect of the new compounds on pDNA were examined. Complexes 1 and 2 are active against the gram-positive bacteria Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus cereus. The IC(50) values reveal that the two compounds express promising cytotoxic activity in vitro against a series of cell lines.

Synthesis, Crystal Structures, and DNA Binding Properties of Zinc(II) Complexes with 3-Pyridine Aldoxime

The employment of 3-pyridine aldoxime, (3-py)CHNOH, in ZnII chemistry has afforded two novel compounds: [Zn(acac)2{(3-py)CHNOH}]·H2O (1·H2O) [where acac− is the pentane-2,4-dionato(-1) ion] and [Zn2(O2CMe)4{(3-py)CHNOH}2] (2). Complex 1·H2O crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P21/n. The ZnII ion is five-coordinated, surrounded by four oxygen atoms of two acac− moieties and by the pyridyl nitrogen atom of the (3-py)CHNOH ligand. Molecules of 1 interact with the water lattice molecules forming a 2D hydrogen-bonding network. Complex 2 crystallizes in the triclinic P-1 space group and displays a dinuclear paddle-wheel structure. Each ZnII exhibits a perfect square pyramidal geometry, with four carboxylate oxygen atoms at the basal plane and the pyridyl nitrogen of one monodentate (3-py)CHNOH ligand at the apex. DNA mobility shift assays were performed for the determination of the in vitro effect of both complexes on the integrity and the electrophoretic mobility of pDNA.

Synthesis, X-Ray Structure, and Characterization of Catena-bis(benzoate)bis{N,N-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)glycinate}cadmium(II).

The reaction of N, N-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)glycine (bicine; bicH3) with Cd(O2CPh)2 · 2H2O in MeOH yielded the polymeric compound [Cd2(O2CPh)2(bicH2)2]n(1). The complex crystallizes in the tetragonal space group P41212. The lattice constants are a = b = 12.737(5) and c = 18.288(7) Å. The compound contains chains of repeating {Cd2(O2CPh)2(bicH2)2} units. One CdII atom is coordinated by two carboxylate oxygen, four hydroxyl oxygen, and two nitrogen atoms from two symmetry-related 2.21111 (Harris notation) bicH2 − ligands. The other CdII atom is coordinated by six carboxylate oxygen atoms, four from two bicH2 − ligands and two from the monodentate benzoate groups. Each bicinate(-1) ligand chelates the 8-coordinate, square antiprismatic CdII atom through one carboxylate oxygen, the nitrogen, and both hydroxyl oxygen atoms and bridges the second, six-coordinate trigonal prismatic CdII center through its carboxylate oxygen atoms. Compound 1 is the first structurally characterized cadmium(II) complex containing any anionic form of bicine as ligand. IR data of 1 are discussed in terms of the coordination modes of the ligands and the known structure.