Remarkable Changes of the Acidity of Bound Nitroxyl (HNO) in the [Ru(Me3[9]aneN3)(L2)(NO)] n+ Family ( n = 1-3). Systematic Structural and Chemical Exploration and Bioinorganic Chemistry Implications.

This work demonstrates that the acidity of nitroxyl (HNO) coordinated to a metal core is significantly influenced by its coordination environment. The possibility that NO- complexes may be the predominant species in physiological environments has implications in bioinorganic chemistry and biochemistry. This (apparently simple) result pushed us to delve into the basic aspects of HNO coordination chemistry. A series of three closely related {RuNO}6,7 complexes have been prepared and structurally characterized, namely [Ru(Me3[9]aneN3)(L2)(NO)]3+/2+, with L2 = 2,2'-bipyridine, 4,4'-dimethoxy-2,2'-bipyridine, and 2,2'-bipyrimidine. These species have also been thoroughly studied in solution, allowing for a systematic exploration of their electrochemical properties in a wide pH range, thus granting access and characterization of the elusive {RuNO}8 systems. Modulation of the electronic density in the {RuNO} fragment introduced by changing the bidentate coligand L2 produced only subtle structural modifications but affected dramatically other properties, most noticeably the redox potentials of the {RuNO}6,7 couples and the acidity of bound HNO, which spans over a range of almost three pH units. Controlling the acidity of coordinated HNO by the rational design of coordination compounds is of fundamental relevancy in the field of inorganic chemistry and also fuels the growing interest of the community in understanding the role that different HNO-derived species can play in biological systems.

Structural, Spectroscopic, and Photochemical Investigation of an Octahedral NO-Releasing {RuNO}(7) Species.

[Ru(Me3[9]aneN3)(bpy)(NO)](BF4)2 ([1](BF4)2) was explored by single-crystal X-ray diffractometry, leading to the first crystal structure of an octahedral {RuNO}(7) complex. The metal resides on the center of a distorted octahedron, with dN-O and ∠Ru-N-O at 1.177(3) Å and 141.6(2)°, respectively. [1](BF4)2 can be stored indefinitely under argon. Solutions of [1](2+) show no signs of decomposition when protected from air and light. The electron paramagnetic resonance X-band spectrum at 85 K in vitrified acetonitrile (MeCN) shows signals consistent with an S = (1)/2 spin state, better described as Ru(II)NO(•) (g = [2.030, 1.993, 1.880] and A = [11.0, 30.4, 3.9]/10(-4) cm(-1)). In water, the {RuNO}(7) species reacts with O2 in a 1:4 stoichiometry. The reaction is first-order in both reactants with k = (1.9 ± 0.2) M(-1) s(-1) at 25 °C (ΔH(⧧) = 11.5 ± 0.3 kJ mol(-1); ΔS(⧧) = -189 ± 1 J K(-1) mol(-1)). Solutions of [1](2+) evolve NO when irradiated a 365 nm with ϕNO = 0.024 and 0.090 mol einstein(-1) in H2O and MeCN, respectively.

Nitrosyl-centered redox and acid-base interconversions in [Ru(Me3[9]aneN3)(bpy)(NO)](3,2,1+). The pKa of HNO for its nitroxyl derivative in aqueous solution.

This work reports the preparation of a new 6-coordinated nitrosyl compound and its use as a model to explore the redox and acid-base properties of the three redox states of bound nitrosyl (formally NO(+), NO(•), NO(-)/HNO) in {RuNO}(6,7,8) species. We prepared the octahedral {RuNO}(6) complex [Ru(Me3[9]aneN3)(bpy)(NO)](3+) (Me3[9]aneN3: 1,4,7-trimethyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane; bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine), and the related [Ru(Me3[9]aneN3)(bpy)(NO2)](+) nitro derivative. The compounds were characterized by chemical analysis, X-ray diffraction, NMR, IR, and UV-vis spectroscopies, cyclic voltammetry (CV), UV-vis/IR spectroelectrochemistry, and theoretical calculations (DFT, (TD)DFT). The reaction kinetics between the {RuNO}(6) complex and the nucleophile OH(-) is also presented. The incorporation of tridentate and bidentate ligands in the coordination sphere prevents labilization issues associated with the trans effect when attaining the reduced states of the nitrosyl group. This allows for a consistent interpretation of the changes in the main geometrical parameters: Ru-N and N-O distances, Ru-N-O angle, and the νNO frequency and electronic transitions. We explore the redox properties in acetonitrile and aqueous solutions, and provide a potential (E1/2) - pH (Pourbaix) diagram for the three diatomic nitrosyl-bound species, as well as for HNO and NO2(-), including the report of the pKa of the [Ru(Me3[9]aneN3)(bpy)(HNO)](2+) ion, 9.78 ± 0.15 at 25.0 °C.

Chlorido(4,4'-dimethoxy-2,2'-bipyridine)(1,4,7-trimethyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane)ruthenium(II) perchlorate acetonitrile disolvate and aqua(4,4'-dimethoxy-2,2'-bipyridine)(1,4,7-trimethyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane)ruthenium(II) bis(perchlorate) dihydrate.

The title complexes, [RuCl(C(9)H(21)N(3))(C(12)H(12)N(2)O(2))]ClO(4)·2C(2)H(3)N, (I), and [Ru(C(9)H(21)N(3))(C(12)H(12)N(2)O(2))(H(2)O)](ClO(4))(2)·2H(2)O, (II), display similar structures with the Ru atom in a distorted octahedral environment. In the crystal packing of the chloride complex, (I), the Ru complex molecules are held together in pairs through C-H···Cl interactions of the 4,4'-dimethoxy-2,2'-bipyridine and chloride ligands. In the case of the aqua complex, (II), hydrogen bonding affords a tetrameric hydrogen-bonded network. These two structures are the first examples of complexes with the {Ru(1,4,7-trimethyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane)} motif and an electron-rich substituted 2,2'-bipyridine ligand.

Fluorine-containing aryloxyethyl thiocyanate derivatives are potent inhibitors of Trypanosoma cruzi and Toxoplasma gondii proliferation.

As a part of our project aimed at developing new safe chemotherapeutic and chemoprophylactic agents against tropical diseases, fluorine-containing drugs structurally related to 4-phenoxyphenoxyethyl thiocyanate (1) were designed, synthesized, and evaluated as antiproliferative agents against Trypanosoma cruzi, the parasite responsible of American trypanosomiasis (Chagas' disease), and Toxoplasma gondii, the etiological agent of toxoplasmosis. This thiocyanate derivative had previously proven to be an effective agent against T. cruzi proliferation. Fluorine-containing thiocyanate derivatives 2 and 3 were threefold more potent than our lead drug 1 against intracellular T. cruzi. The biological evaluation against T. gondii was also very promising. The IC(50) values corresponding to 2 and 3 were at the very low micromolar level against tachyzoites of T. gondii. Both of these drugs are interesting examples of effective antiparasitic agents that have outstanding potential not only as lead drugs but also to be used for further in vivo studies.