Double-Strand DNA Breaks Induced by Paracyclophane Gold(I) Complexes.

Gold(I) complexes of ClickPhos [2.2]paracyclophane ligands were synthesized in excellent yields and fully characterized by spectroscopic methods as well as X-ray crystallography. The complexes exhibit a rigid ligand backbone and a triazolyl moiety and were systematically studied with respect to their cytotoxic properties. In combination with the ionic complex [(GemPhos)Au(tht)][ClO4 ] (tht=tetrahydrothiophene), in which the gold(I) atom exhibits a distorted trigonal coordination sphere of two phosphines and a labile tht ligand, their efficiency in cytotoxicity was investigated in HeLa, MCF7, and HCT116 cells as well as in a zebrafish model. Their cytotoxicity and their mechanisms of action are different and involve apoptosis, necrosis, and DNA damage. The compounds presented herein are potent metal-based cytostatics displaying LD50 values from 3.5-38 µm in different tumor cell lines and induce double-strand DNA breaks (DSB) as shown by H2AX phosphorylation (γH2AX) at foci of DSBs.

Original reactivity of α-diazo-ß- ketoesters catalyzed by CpRu complexes.

Using α-diazo-ß-ketoesters as reagents and combinations of CpRu fragments and diimine ligands as catalysts, a series of original transformations have been obtained that can be rationalized by the formation of metal carbenes and metal-bound ylide intermediates. Interesting 1,3-dioxole, enol-acetal and 1,4-dioxene motifs are obtained directly when the reactive mixture is reacted in presence of aldehydes or ketones, THF and epoxides.

Enzymatic amine acyl exchange in peptides on gold surfaces.

Reversible as well as stereo- and chemoselective: various proteases such as thermolysin and chymotrypsin catalyze amine acyl exchange in peptides. This acyl exchange can be used to modify amino-functionalized surfaces under physiological reaction conditions and provides an alternative mechanism for posttranslational transpeptidation reactions such as peptide-splicing reactions in the proteasome.

CpRu-catalyzed O-H insertion and condensation reactions of α-diazocarbonyl compounds.

[CpRu(CH(3)CN)(3)][PF(6)] and diimine ligands catalyze together the decomposition of α-diazocarbonyl compounds leading to O-H insertion and condensation reactions. In comparison with Rh(II) and Cu(I) complexes, the CpRu catalysts produce rapid and often more selective reactions. Promising enantioselectivities are obtained in dioxole syntheses.

Lewis acid/CpRu dual catalysis in the enantioselective decarboxylative allylation of ketone enolates.

The addition of a Lewis acidic metal triflate salt Mg(OTf)(2) as co-catalyst in the CpRu-catalyzed decarboxylative allylation of in situ-generated ketone enolates allows the reaction to proceed at lower temperature with higher regio- and enantioselectivity. Even so-far-unreactive substrates react.