An anti-glioblastoma gold(i)-NHC complex distorts mitochondrial morphology and bioenergetics to induce tumor growth inhibition.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most lethal brain cancer subtype, often advanced by the time of initial diagnosis. Existing treatment modalities including surgery, chemotherapy and radiation have been stymied by recurrence, metastasis, drug resistance and brain targetability. Here, we report a geometrically distinct Au(i) complex ligated by N^N-bidentate ligands and supported by a N-heterocyclic ligand that modulates mitochondrial morphology to inhibit GBM in vitro and in vivo. This work benefits from the facile preparation of anti-GBM Au(i)-NHC complexes.

Stable Au(I) catalysts for oxidant-free C-H Functionalization with Iodoarenes.

The development of oxidant-free gold-catalyzed cross coupling reactions involving aryl halides have been hamstrung by the lack of gold catalysts capable of performing oxidative addition at Au(I) centers. Herein, we report the development of novel tricoordinate Au(I) catalysts supported by N,N-bidentate ligands and ligated by phosphine or arsine ligands for C-H functionalization without external oxidants to form biaryls with no homocoupling. The unsymmetrical character of the Au(I) catalyst is critical to facilitating this necessary orthogonal transformation. This study unveils yet another potential of Au(I) catalysis in biaryl synthesis.