Polypyridyl-functionalizated alkynyl gold(i) metallaligands supported by tri- and tetradentate phosphanes

A series of alkynyl gold(I) tri and tetratopic metallaligands of the type [Au3(CuC-R)3(μ3-triphosphane)] (R = 2,2'-bipyridin-5-yl or C10H7N2, 2,2':6',2''-terpyridin-4-yl or C15H10N3; triphosphane = 1,1,1-tris(diphenylphosphanyl) ethane or triphos, 1,3,5-tris(diphenylphosphanyl)benzene or triphosph) and [Au4(CuC-R)4 (μ4-tetraphosphane)] (R = C10H7N2, C15H10N3; tetraphosphane = tetrakis(diphenylphosphanylmethyl)methane or tetraphos, 1,2,3,5-tetrakis(diphenylphosphanyl)benzene or tpbz, tetrakis(diphenylphosphaneylmethyl)-1,2- ethylenediamine or dppeda) were obtained in moderate to good yields. All complexes could be prepared by a Q4 reaction between the alkynyl gold(I) polymeric species [Au(Cu…

The Important Role of the Nuclearity, Rigidity, and Solubility of Phosphane Ligands in the Biological Activity of Gold(I) Complexes

A series of 4-ethynylaniline gold(I) complexes containing monophosphane (1,3,5-triaza-7-phosphaadamantane (pta; 2), 3,7-diacetyl-1,3,7-triaza-5-phosphabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane (3), and PR3 , with R=naphthyl (4), phenyl (5), and ethyl (6)) and diphosphane (bis(diphenylphosphino)acetylene (dppa; 7), trans-1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethene (dppet; 8), 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane (dppe; 9), and 1,3-bis(diphenylphosphino)propane (dppp; 10)) ligands have been synthesized and their efficiency against tumor cells evaluated. The cytotoxicity of complexes 2-10 was evaluated in human colorectal (HCT116) and ovarian (A2780) carcinoma as well as in normal human fibroblasts. All the complexes showed a hi…

Luminescent alkynyl-gold(i) coumarin derivatives and their biological activity

The synthesis and characterization of three propynyloxycoumarins are reported in this work together with the formation of three different series of gold(i) organometallic complexes. Neutral complexes are constituted by water soluble phosphines (PTA and DAPTA) which confer water solubility to them. The X-ray crystal structure of 7-(prop-2-in-1-yloxy)-1-benzopyran-2-one and its corresponding dialkynyl complex is also shown and the formation of rectangular dimers for the gold derivative in the solid state can be observed. A detailed analysis of the absorption and emission spectra of both ligands and complexes allows us to attribute the luminescent behaviour to the coumarin organic ligand. More…

Effect of Gold(I) on the Room-Temperature Phosphorescence of Ethynylphenanthrene.

The synthesis of two series of gold(I) complexes containing the general formulae PR 3 ‐Au‐C≡C‐phenanthrene (PR 3 = PPh 3 ( 1a / 2a ), PMe 3 ( 1b / 2b ), PNaph 3 ( 1c / 2c )) or (diphos)(Au‐C≡C‐phenanthrene) 2 (diphos = 1,1‐ bis (diphenylphosphino)methane, dppm ( 1d / 2d ); 1,4‐ bis (diphenylphosphino)butane, dppb ( 1e / 2e )) have been synthesized. The two series differ on the position of the alkynyl substituent on the phenanthrene chromophore, being at the 9‐position (9‐ethynylphenanthrene) for the L1 ‐series and at the 2‐position (2‐ethynylphenanthrene) for the L2 ‐series. The compounds have been fully characterized by 1 H and 31 P NMR and IR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry and single cry…

Switching from intramolecular energy transfer to intramolecular electron transfer by the action of pH and Zn2+ co-ordination

Abstract Intramolecular electron (eT) and energy transfer (ET) have shown to occur in a covalently linked donor–acceptor (CLDA) system consisting of a naphthalene donor covalently linked through a polyamine chain connector to an anthracene acceptor; the connector has been chosen in order to switch ON or OFF the energy flux as a function of its protonation state as well as by co-ordination to Zn 2+ . The largest energy transfer efficiency ( η =0.61) occurs for the fully protonated form (pH 9 (eT) from the lone pairs of the nitrogens to the excited fluorophore takes place, leading to complete quenching of the emission. On the other hand at neutral and basic pH values, co-ordination of Zn 2+ p…

Energetics and Dynamics of Naphthalene Polyaminic Derivatives. Influence of Structural Design in the Balance Static vs Dynamic Excimer Formation

Two new fluorescent macrocyclic structures bearing two naphthalene (Np) units at both ends of a cyclic polyaminic chain were investigated with potentiometric, fluorescence (steady-state and time-resolved) and laser flash photolysis techniques. The fluorescence emission studies show the presence of an excimer species whose formation depends on the protonation state of the polyamine chains implying the existence of a bending movement (occurring in both the ground and in the first singlet excited state), which allows the two naphthalene units to approach and interact. For comparison purposes, one bis-chromophoric compound containing a rigid chain (piperazine unit) was also investigated. Its em…

Supramolecular interactions of hexacyanocobaltate(III) with polyamine receptors containing a terminal anthracene sensor

Abstract The fluorescence emission properties of a series of chemosensors containing a polyamine receptor bearing an anthracene signaling unit were studied. The fluorescence emission intensity is dependent on the protonation degree of the receptor, the fully protonated form exhibiting the highest emission intensity. By removing protons from the nitrogens a quenching effect can be observed, due to an electron-transfer from the amine to the excited fluorophore. The rate constant of the quenching process is exponentially dependent on the distance of the nitrogen from which the electron is transferred (β=0.6 A−1). The ability of the chemosensors for signaling anions was tested through the model…

Room-Temperature Phosphorescence and Efficient Singlet Oxygen Production by Cyclometalated Pt(II) Complexes with Aromatic Alkynyl Ligands

The synthesis of five novel cyclometalated platinum(II) compounds containing five different alkynyl-chromophores was achieved by the reaction of the previously synthesized Pt–Cl cyclometalated compound (1) with the corresponding RC≡CH by a Sonogashira reaction. It was observed that the spectral and photophysical characteristics of the cyclometalated platinum(II) complexes (Pt–Ar) are essentially associated with the platinum-cyclometalated unit. Room-temperature emission of the Pt–Ar complexes was attributed to phosphorescence in agreement with DFT calculations. Broad nanosecond (ns)-transient absorption spectra were observed with decays approximately identical to those obtained from the emi…

Aggregation versus Biological Activity in Gold(I) Complexes. An Unexplored Concept

The aggregation process of a series of mono- and dinuclear gold(I) complexes containing a 4-ethynylaniline ligand and a phosphane at the second coordination position (PR3-Au-C≡CC6H4-NH2, complexes 1-5, and (diphos)(Au-C≡CC6H4-NH2)2, complexes 6-8), whose biological activity was previously studied by us, has been carefully analyzed through absorption, emission, and NMR spectroscopy, together with dynamic light scattering and small-angle X-ray scattering. These experiments allow us to retrieve information about how the compounds enter the cells. It was observed that all compounds present aggregation in fresh solutions, before biological treatment, and thus they must be entering the cells as a…

Front Cover: The Important Role of the Nuclearity, Rigidity, and Solubility of Phosphane Ligands in the Biological Activity of Gold(I) Complexes (Chem. Eur. J. 55/2018)

A coumarin based gold(i)-alkynyl complex: a new class of supramolecular hydrogelators.

A phosphine-gold(I)-alkynyl-coumarin complex, [Au{7-(prop-2-ine-1-yloxy)-1-benzopyran-2-one}(DAPTA)] (1), was synthesized and the formation of long luminescent fibers in solution was characterized via fluorescence microscopy and dynamic light scattering. The fibers presented strong blue and green luminescence, suggesting that the gold(I) in the complex increased intersystem crossing due to the heavy atom effect, resulting in a significant increase in triplet emission. The X-ray structure of the fibers indicates that both aurophilic, π–π interactions and hydrogen bonding contribute to their formation in aqueous solvents.

Synthesis and photophysical properties of dansyl-based polyamine ligands and their Zn(II) complexes

The synthesis, potentiometric studies and photophysical properties of two new polyamine ligands (L1 and L2) possessing the dansyl chromophore were studied in aqueous 0.15 M NaCl. The compounds show the absorption and emissions bands characteristic of the dansylamide fluorophore and both present intramolecular excited state proton transfer at intermediate pH ranges. One of the ligands (L2) strongly coordinates Zn(II) leading to fluorescence quenching. A model compound (L3) of the dansyl moiety was also investigated. http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6TG5-4MB4DV1-2/1/45cafbcee9a8df7daddd765512437ca3

Switching from intramolecular energy transfer to intramolecular electron transfer by the action of pH and Zn2+ co-ordination

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6TFN-44SKJK4-4/1/7cd5958d3acd1757d2b3a88517f1d557

Spectroscopy and Coordination Chemistry of a New Bisnaphthalene−Bisphenanthroline Ligand Displaying a Sensing Ability for Metal Cations

A new fluorescent macrocyclic structure (L1) bearing two naphthalene units at both ends of a cyclic polyaminic chain containing two phenanthroline units was investigated with potentiometric and fluorescence (steady-state and time-resolved) techniques. The fluorescence emission spectra show the simultaneous presence of three bands: a short wavelength emission band (naphthalene monomer), a middle emission band (phenanthroline emission), and a long-wavelength band. All three bands were found to be dependent on the protonation state of the macrocyclic unit (including the polyaminic and phenanthroline structures). The existence of the long-wavelength emission band is discussed and is shown to im…

Potentiometric, NMR, and Fluorescence-Emission Studies on the Binding of Adenosine 5′-Triphosphate (ATP) by Open-Chain Polyamine Receptors Containing Naphthylmethyl and/or Anthrylmethyl Groups

The interaction in aqueous solution of adenosine 5′-triphosphate (ATP) with a series of open-chain polyamines linked at one or both ends to anthrylmethyl or naphthylmethyl fragments was followed by potentiometric titration, 1H-, 13C-, and 31P-NMR spectroscopy, and by steady-state fluorescence measurements. The results revealed greater stabilities for the compounds containing one anthracene moiety than for those with one naphthalene moiety, the stabilities of the compounds with both ends N-substituted with naphthylmethyl groups being close to those containing just one anthrylmethyl unit. The 1H-NMR spectra showed that in all systems, there is involvement of π-π stacking interactions in the s…

Ground and excited state properties of polyamine chains bearing two terminal naphthalene units

A series of compounds bearing two naphthalene units linked through methylene groups to both ends of different open-chain polyamines has been investigated. The fluorescence emission studies show the presence of an excimer species whose formation depends on the protonation state and length of the polyamine chains and implies the existence of a bending movement in the excited state allowing the two naphthalene units to approach and interact. This interpretation was clearly proven by time-resolved fluorescence with the appearance of double exponential decays with a rise time observed at the excimer emission wavelength. For comparison purposes one bis-chromophoric compound containing a rigid cha…

Energy transfer between polyamine chains bearing naphthalene terminal units and k3[Co(CN)6]: An example of a molecular photoreactor

Molecular photoreactors consisting of polyamine chains (receptors) bearing terminal naphthalene units (antennae) are described. The receptors are used to bind the substrate hexacyanocobaltate(III) and the antennae to transfer energy to the complex and thus promote a photoaquation reaction.

Gold(I)-doped films: new routes for efficient room temperature phosphorescent materials

The synthesis of four novel gold(I)-phosphane complexes coordinated to 9-phenanthrene chromophore has been carried out through the reaction of 9-phenanthreneboronic acid and the corresponding AuClPR3 (PR3 = PPh3 for triphenylphosphane (1a); 1,4-bis(diphenylphosphanyl)butane or dppb (2b); bis(diphenylphosphanyl)acetylene or dppa (2c); (AuCl)2(diphos) (diphos = bis(diphenylphosphanyl)methane or dppm (3)) sources. The X-ray crystal structures of compounds 1a and 2b show the existence of MOF-like intermolecular assemblies that contain empty inner cavities in the absence of aurophilic contacts. In contrast, the formation of a tetranuclear complex with intramolecular aurophilic interactions was e…