Group 13 Superacid Adducts of [PCl2N]3.

Irrespective of the order of the addition of reagents, the reactions of [PCl2N]3 with MX3 (MX3 = AlCl3, AlBr3, GaCl3) in the presence of water or gaseous HX give the air- and light-sensitive superacid adducts [PCl2N]3·HMX4. The reactions are quantitative when HX is used. These reactions illustrate a Lewis acid/Brønsted acid dichotomy in which Lewis acid chemistry can become Brønsted acid chemistry in the presence of adventitious water or HX. The crystal structures of all three [PCl2N]3·HMX4 adducts show that protonation weakens the two P-N bonds that flank the protonated nitrogen atom. Variable-temperature NMR studies indicate that exchange in solution occurs in [PCl2N]3·HMX4, even at lower temperatures than those for [PCl2N]3·MX3. The fragility of [PCl2N]3·HMX4 at or near room temperature and in the presence of light suggests that such adducts are not involved directly as intermediates in the high-temperature ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of [PCl2N]3 to give [PCl2N]n. Attempts to catalyze or initiate the ROP of [PCl2N]3 with the addition of [PCl2N]3·HMX4 at room temperature or at 70 °C were not successful.

Group 13 Lewis acid adducts of [PCl2N]3.

Phosphazene polymers are classically synthesized by the high-temperature, ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of [PCl(2)N](3) to give [PCl(2)N](n), followed by functionalization of [PCl(2)N](n) with different side groups. We investigated the interactions of [PCl(2)N](3) with Lewis acids because Lewis acids have been used to induce the high-temperature ROP of [PCl(2)N](3). The reactions of [PCl(2)N](3) with MX(3) (M = group 13, X = halides), under strict anaerobic conditions gave adducts [PCl(2)N](3)·MX(3). Adducts were characterized by X-ray crystallography and multinuclear and variable-temperature NMR studies, and mechanistic understanding of their fluxional behavior in solution was achieved. The properties of the [PCl(2)N](3)·MX(3) adducts at or near room temperature strongly suggests that such adducts are not involved directly as intermediates in the high-temperature ROP of [PCl(2)N](3).

Synthesis and antimicrobial studies of silver N-heterocyclic carbene complexes bearing a methyl benzoate substituent.

Due to the properties of silver as an antimicrobial, our research group has synthesized many different silver carbene complexes. Two new silver N-heterocyclic carbene complexes derived from 4,5-dichloroimidazole and theobromine bearing methyl benzoate substituents were synthesized by in situ carbene formation using silver acetate as the base in the reaction. The new compounds were fully characterized by several methods including NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. Preliminary antimicrobial efficacy studies against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli were conducted. The results of this study demonstrated antimicrobial efficacy of the two complexes comparable to silver nitrate, showing their potential for use in the treatment of bacterial infections.

Synthesis, stability, and antimicrobial studies of electronically tuned silver acetate N-heterocyclic carbenes.

A series of methylated imidazolium salts with varying substituents on the 4 and 5 positions of the imidazole ring were synthesized. These salts were reacted with silver acetate to afford their corresponding silver N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) complexes. These complexes were then evaluated for their stability in water as well as for their antimicrobial efficacy against a variety of bacterial strains associated with cystic fibrosis and chronic lung infections.

Ovarian cancer activity of cyclic amine and thiaether metal complexes.

A thiaether metal complex 1-aza-4,7-dithiacyclononane-RhCl3, 2, and cyclic amine metal complexes tacn-CuBr2, 3, and Me3tacn-RuCl3, 4, have been evaluated for anticancer activity against the ovarian cancer cell line NuTu-19 and for cell toxicity against the noncancerous ovarian tissue cell line OVepi. Specifically, metal complex 2 is active when compared to cisplatin at micromolar concentrations using the MTT and cell invasion assay. The in vitro results reported warrant further evaluation of metal complex 2 in living systems.

Folliculin, the product of the Birt-Hogg-Dube tumor suppressor gene, interacts with the adherens junction protein p0071 to regulate cell-cell adhesion.

Birt-Hogg-Dube (BHD) is a tumor suppressor gene syndrome associated with fibrofolliculomas, cystic lung disease, and chromophobe renal cell carcinoma. In seeking to elucidate the pathogenesis of BHD, we discovered a physical interaction between folliculin (FLCN), the protein product of the BHD gene, and p0071, an armadillo repeat containing protein that localizes to the cytoplasm and to adherens junctions. Adherens junctions are one of the three cell-cell junctions that are essential to the establishment and maintenance of the cellular architecture of all epithelial tissues. Surprisingly, we found that downregulation of FLCN leads to increased cell-cell adhesion in functional cell-based assays and disruption of cell polarity in a three-dimensional lumen-forming assay, both of which are phenocopied by downregulation of p0071. These data indicate that the FLCN-p0071 protein complex is a negative regulator of cell-cell adhesion. We also found that FLCN positively regulates RhoA activity and Rho-associated kinase activity, consistent with the only known function of p0071. Finally, to examine the role of Flcn loss on cell-cell adhesion in vivo, we utilized keratin-14 cre-recombinase (K14-cre) to inactivate Flcn in the mouse epidermis. The K14-Cre-Bhd(flox/flox) mice have striking delays in eyelid opening, wavy fur, hair loss, and epidermal hyperplasia with increased levels of mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) activity. These data support a model in which dysregulation of the FLCN-p0071 interaction leads to alterations in cell adhesion, cell polarity, and RhoA signaling, with broad implications for the role of cell-cell adhesion molecules in the pathogenesis of human disease, including emphysema and renal cell carcinoma.

A fluorescent bis(benzoxazole) ligand: toward binuclear Zn(II)-Zn(II) assembly.

A bis(benzoxazole) ligand (HL) has been synthesized, and its reaction with Zn(OAc)(2) has led to fluorescent complexes via formation of binuclear Zn(II)-Zn(II) cores. The ligand-to-metal ratio of the complexes varies from 1 : 1 to 2 : 1, depending on the reaction conditions. A large binding constant K = 8.3 x 10(20) [M(-3)] has been determined for the reaction L + Zn(2+)-->L(2):Zn(2)(2+). The result indicates that the bis(benzoxazole) ligand is a useful building block to construct a binuclear core. On the basis of X-ray analysis, the binuclear Zn(II)-Zn(II) distance in the complexes is determined to be approximately 3.22 A, which is quite comparable to that found in the enzymes (3.3 A). Absorption and fluorescence study shows that a subtle chemical environmental change within the binuclear core can induce a large optical response.

Anticancer Activity of Ag(I) N-Heterocyclic Carbene Complexes Derived from 4,5-Dichloro-1H-Imidazole.

A class of Ag(I) N-heterocyclic carbene silver complexes, 1-3, derived from 4,5-dichloro-1H-imidazole has been evaluated for their anticancer activity against the human cancer cell lines OVCAR-3 (ovarian), MB157 (breast), and Hela (cervical). Silver complexes 1-3 are active against the ovarian and breast cancer cell lines. A preliminary in vivo study shows 1 to be active against ovarian cancer in mice. The results obtained in these studies warrant further investigation of these compounds in vivo.