Publications by authors named "Simone Amatori"

In this paper, the isopropyl ester derivatives L and L of bis(pyrazol-1-yl)acetic acid and bis(3,5-dimethyl-pyrazol-1-yl)acetic acid were used as chelators for the preparation of new Cu(i) phosphane complexes 1-4. They were synthesized by the reaction of [Cu(CHCN)]PF and triphenylphosphine or 1,3,5-triaza-7-phosphaadamantane with L and L ligands, in acetonitrile or acetonitrile/methanol solution. The authenticity of the compounds was confirmed by CHN analysis, H-, C- and P-NMR, FT-IR spectroscopy, and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS).

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The new ligand L, obtained by conjugating the bifunctional species bis(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-yl)-acetate and the drug amantadine, was used as a chelator for the synthesis of new Cu complexes -. Their structures were investigated by synchrotron radiation-induced X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (SR-XPS), near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy, and by combining X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectroscopy techniques and DFT modeling. The structure of complex was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study focuses on designing and testing copper complexes and nanostructured assemblies for potential cancer and virus treatments.
  • It includes an in-depth investigation of the molecular and electronic structures of these compounds using advanced spectroscopy techniques like XPS and XAS.
  • The research aims to define the coordination geometry of copper ions and understand how these complexes behave when interacting with gold nanoparticles, analyzing data from both solid and liquid states.
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Gold nanorods stabilized by binary ligand mixtures of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB, primary ligand) and ascorbic acid or hydroquinone were investigated by complementary synchrotron radiation-induced spectroscopies and microscopies, with the aim to find evidence of the influence of the secondary ligand molecular and chemical structure on the nanorod shapes and size ratios. Indeed, as it is well known that the CTAB interaction with Ag(i) ions at the NR surface plays a key role in directing the anisotropic growth of nanorods, the possibility to finely control the NR shape and dimension by opportunely selecting the secondary ligands opens new perspectives in the design and synthesis of anisotropic nanoparticles.

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Low-energy electrons (Auger electrons) can be produced via the interaction of photons with gold atoms in gold nanorods (AuNRs). These electrons are similar to those emitted during the decay of technetium-99m (Tc), a radioactive nuclide widely used for diagnostics in nuclear medicine. Auger and internal conversion (IC) electron emitters appropriately targeted to the DNA of tumors cells may, therefore, represent a new radiotherapeutic approach.

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Article Synopsis
  • Researchers synthesized methyl ester derivatives of bis(pyrazol-1-yl)acetic acid and bis(3,5-dimethyl-pyrazol-1-yl)acetic acid to form copper(I) and copper(II) complexes.
  • The copper(II) complexes were created using CuCl·2HO or CuBr in methanol, while copper(I) complexes were made with Cu[(CHCN)]PF in acetonitrile.
  • All developed copper complexes demonstrated significant antitumor activity, surpassing cisplatin effectiveness in human cancer cell lines and overcoming cisplatin resistance through unique cellular mechanisms.
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Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), which are strongly hydrophilic and dimensionally suitable for drug delivery, were used in loading and release studies of two different copper(I)-based antitumor complexes, namely [Cu(PTA)] [BF] (A; PTA = 1, 3, 5-triaza-7-phosphadamantane) and [HB(pz)Cu(PCN)] (B; HB(pz) = tris(pyrazolyl)borate, PCN = tris(cyanoethyl)phosphane). In the homoleptic, water-soluble compound A, the metal is tetrahedrally arranged in a cationic moiety. Compound B is instead a mixed-ligand (scorpionate/phosphane), neutral complex insoluble in water.

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