The controlled release of functionally active compounds is important in a variety of applications. Here, we have synthesized, characterized, and studied the magnetic properties of three novel metal-metal-bonded tris(formamidinato) Ru25+ complexes. We have used different auxin-related hormones, indole-3-acetate (IAA), 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetate (2,4-D), and 1-naphthaleneacetate (NAA), to generate [Ru2Cl(µ-DPhF)3(µ-IAA)] (RuIAA), [Ru2Cl(µ-DPhF)3(µ-2,4-D)] (Ru2,4-D), and [Ru2Cl(µ-DPhF)3(µ-NAA)] (RuNAA) (DPhF = N,N'-diphenylformamidinate). The crystal structures of RuIAA, RuIAA·THF, Ru2,4-D·CH2Cl2, and RuNAA·0.5THF have been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. To assess the releasing capacity of the bound hormone, we have employed a biological assay that relied on Arabidopsis thaliana plants expressing an auxin reporter gene and we demonstrate that the release of the phytohormones from RuIAA, Ru2,4-D, and RuNAA is pH- and time-dependent. These studies serve as a proof of concept showing the potential of these types of compounds as biological molecule carriers.
Arabidopsis/chemistry , Coordination Complexes/chemistry , Indoleacetic Acids/chemistry , Plant Growth Regulators/chemistry , Ruthenium/chemistry , Arabidopsis/metabolism , Coordination Complexes/chemical synthesis , Coordination Complexes/metabolism , Hydrogen-Ion Concentration , Indoleacetic Acids/metabolism , Magnetic Phenomena , Molecular Structure , Plant Growth Regulators/chemical synthesis , Plant Growth Regulators/metabolism , Temperature , Time Factors
