Miguel Martínez-Calvo

Healable Luminescent Self-Assembly Supramolecular Metallogels Possessing Lanthanide (Eu/Tb) Dependent Rheological and Morphological Properties

Herein we present the use of lanthanide directed self-assembly formation (Ln(III) = Eu(III), Tb(III)) in the generation of luminescent supramolecular polymers, that when swelled with methanol give rise to self-healing supramolecular gels. These were analyzed by using luminescent and (1)H NMR titrations studies, allowing for the identification of the various species involved in the subsequent Ln(III)-gel formation. These highly luminescent gels could be mixed to give a variety of luminescent colors depending on their Eu(III):Tb(III) stoichiometric ratios. Imaging and rheological studies showed that these gels prepared using only Eu(III) or only Tb(III) have different morphological and rheological properties, that are also different from those determined upon forming gels by mixing of Eu(III) and Tb(III) gels. Hence, our results demonstrate for the first time the crucial role the lanthanide ions play in the supramolecular polymerization process, which is in principle a host-guest interaction, and consequently in the self-healing properties of the corresponding gels, which are dictated by the same host-guest interactions.

Transition metal catalysis in the mitochondria of living cells

The development of transition metal catalysts capable of promoting non-natural transformations within living cells can open significant new avenues in chemical and cell biology. Unfortunately, the complexity of the cell makes it extremely difficult to translate standard organometallic chemistry to living environments. Therefore, progress in this field has been very slow, and many challenges, including the possibility of localizing active metal catalysts into specific subcellular sites or organelles, remain to be addressed. Herein, we report a designed ruthenium complex that accumulates preferentially inside the mitochondria of mammalian cells, while keeping its ability to react with exogenous substrates in a bioorthogonal way. Importantly, we show that the subcellular catalytic activity can be used for the confined release of fluorophores, and even allows selective functional alterations in the mitochondria by the localized transformation of inert precursors into uncouplers of the membrane potential.

Pentadentate thiosemicarbazones as versatile chelating systems. A comparative structural study of their metallic complexes

We have prepared some transition and post-transition metal complexes derived from the pentadentate thiosemicarbazone ligand bis(4-N-ethylthiosemicarbazone)-2,6-diacetylpyridine H(2)L(Et), by both chemical and electrochemical procedures. The complexes have been synthesised and fully characterised, including the crystal structures for the ligand H(2)L(Et) and its manganese, cadmium and lead complexes. We have also performed multinuclear (109)Ag, (113)Cd, (119)Sn and (207)Pb studies for silver, cadmium, tin and lead compounds, respectively. Moreover we present here a comparative study on the different structures found for pentadentate thiosemicarbazonate complexes, trying to check the influence of different factors, such as experimental procedure, size of metal, structure of the ligand, and metal oxidation state, on the final structure of the complex formed. Our aim is gaining a better insight into the coordination trends of pentadentate thiosemicarbazone ligands.

Chiroptical Probing of Lanthanide‐Directed Self‐Assembly Formation Using btp Ligands Formed in One‐Pot Diazo‐Transfer/Deprotection Click Reaction from Chiral Amines

A series of enantiomeric 2,6-bis(1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)pyridines (btp)-containing ligands was synthesized by a one-pot two-step copper-catalyzed amine/alkyne click reaction. The Eu(III) - and Tb(III) -directed self-assembly formation of these ligands was studied in CH3 CN by monitoring their various photophysical properties, including their emerging circular dichroism and circularly polarized luminescence. The global analysis of the former enabled the determination of both the stoichiometry and the stability constants of the various chiral supramolecular species in solution.

Supramolecular Approach to Enantioselective DNA Recognition Using Enantiomerically Resolved Cationic 4-Amino-1,8-naphthalimide-Based Tröger’s Bases

The synthesis and photophysical studies of two cationic Trögers base (TB)-derived bis-naphthalimides 1 and 2 and the TB derivative 6, characterized by X-ray crystallography, are presented. The enantiomers of 1 and 2 are separated by cation-exchange chromatography on Sephadex C25 using sodium (-)-dibenzoyl-l-tartarate as the chiral mobile phase. The binding of enantiomers with salmon testes (st)-DNA and synthetic polynucleotides are studied by a variety of spectroscopic methods including UV/vis absorbance, circular dichroism, linear dichroism, and ethidium bromide displacement assays, which demonstrated binding of these compounds to the DNA grooves with very high affinity (K ∼ 10(6) M(-1)) and preferential binding of (-)-enantiomer. In all cases, binding to DNA resulted in a significant stabilization of the double-helical structure of DNA against thermal denaturation. Compound (±)-2 and its enantiomers possessed significantly higher binding affinity for double-stranded DNA compared to 1, possibly due to the presence of the methyl group, which allows favorable hydrophobic and van der Waals interactions with DNA. The TB derivatives exhibited marked preference for AT rich sequences, where the binding affinities follow the order (-)-enantiomer > (±) > (+)-enantiomer. The compounds exhibited significant photocleavage of plasmid DNA upon visible light irradiation and are rapidly internalized into malignant cell lines.

Coordinative trends of a tridentate thiosemicarbazone ligand: synthesis, characterization, luminescence studies and desulfurization processes

The coordinative chemistry of the tridentate thiosemicarbazone ligand 2-pyridinecarboxaldehyde 4-N-ethylthiosemicarbazone (HL(Et)) has been explored by using an electrochemical methodology. All the complexes have been characterized using analytical and spectroscopic techniques. In the case of copper we have isolated two different complexes, with Cu(L(Et))(2).4H(2)O (6) and [Cu(2)(L(Et))(2)(SO(4))] (7) formulae. The sulfate group coordinated to the copper atoms in was probably released to the media as a consequence of a desulfurization process. Single X-ray crystallography has been carried out for the ligand HL(Et) and the complexes , [Ag(6)(L(Et))(6)].CH(3)CN (9) and [Pb(L(Et))(2)] (2). The copper(ii) complex is a dimer compound in which two antiparallel monodeprotonated ligands are coordinated to two copper centres by establishment of mu(2)-thiolate bridges and the additional coordination of a sulfate group bridging the two metal atoms. The silver complex is an unusual hexanuclear cluster compound with a wheel-type conformation, while the lead complex is a monomer which exhibits the lone pair effect. A structural comparative study of the electrochemically obtained complexes derived from HL(X) ligands (X= Me, Et and Ph) have been performed. Finally, the solution behaviour of the complexes was checked by NMR, UV and fluorescence studies.

Unprecedent isolation of a mixture of conformational and linkage isomers in a thiosemicarbazone cobalt mesocate.

A cobalt(II) thiosemicarbazonate mesocate has been structurally characterized as an unexpected mixture of conformational and linkage isomers. Moreover, we have shown that the absence of a nitrogen atom in the spacer of the helicand ligand H(2)L(a), enables the assembly of an achiral mesohelical complex in the case of Co(II) ions.

Cellular Uptake of Gold Nanoparticles Triggered by Host–Guest Interactions

We describe an approach to regulate the cellular uptake of small gold nanoparticles using supramolecular chemistry. The strategy relies on the functionalization of AuNPs with negatively charged pyranines, which largely hamper their penetration in cells. Cellular uptake can be activated in situ through the addition of cationic covalent cages that specifically recognize the fluorescent pyranine dyes and counterbalance the negative charges. The high selectivity and reversibility of the host-guest recognition activates cellular uptake, even in protein-rich biological media, as well as its regulation by rational addition of either cage or pyranine.

Supramolecular Anion Recognition Mediates One-Pot Synthesis of 3-Amino-[1,2,4]-triazolo Pyridines from Thiosemicarbazides

A facile one-pot synthesis of 3-amino-[1,2,4]-triazolo[4,3-a]pyridines from thiosemicarbazides through anion mediated synthesis is reported. Thiosemicarbazides derived from 2-hydrazino pyridine, 5-chloro 2-hydrazino pyridine, and 2-hydrazine quinoline were formed in situ as anion receptors in the presence of TBAF. Under microwave heating, thiosemicarbazides furnished the triazolo pyridines in good to moderate yields. The formation of the thiosemicarbazides hydrogen bonding anion receptors was critical in cascading the reaction toward the formation of the triazolo pyridines.

Chains or grids of cadmium(II) helicates

The isolation of the first case of a ‘grid-of-helicates’ allowed us to rationalize the formation of extended 1D-chains or 2D-grid sheets of helicates with Cd(II) ions.