Metal-(Acyclic Diaminocarbene) Complexes Demonstrate Nanomolar Antiproliferative Activity against Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.

Invited for the cover of this issue are Tatiyana Serebryanskaya, Mikhail Kinzhalov and co-workers at St. Petersburg State University, the Research Institute for Physical Chemical Problems, Belarusian State University, Togliatti State University and Blokhin National Medical Research Center of Oncology. The image depicts the shield of Pallas Athena with the structure of a palladium carbene complex that protects against triple-negative breast cancer.

Metal-(Acyclic Diaminocarbene) Complexes Demonstrate Nanomolar Antiproliferative Activity against Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.

Hydrolytically stable Pd and Pt complexes supported by acyclic diaminocarbene ligands represent a novel class of structural organometallic anticancer agents exhibiting nanomolar antiproliferative activity in a panel of cancer cell lines (IC 0.07-0.81 μM) and up to 300-fold selectivity for cancer cells over normal primary fibroblasts.

Mutual Placement of Isocyanide and Phosphine Ligands in Platinum(II) Complexes [PtHalLL] (Hal = Cl, Br, I; L,L = CNCy, PPh) Leads to Highly-Efficient Photocatalysts for Hydrosilylation of Alkynes.

A series of platinum complexes featuring phosphine and isocyanide ligands [PtX(PPh)(CNCy)] (X = Cl, Br, and I) as well as their parent phosphine [PtX(PPh)] and isocyanide [PtX(CNCy)] analogues have been prepared and evaluated as catalysts for the photocatalytic hydrosilylation of alkynes. Under violet light irradiation (λ = 400 nm), phosphine-isocyanides complexes [PtX(PPh)(CNCy)] gave high yields of silylated products (product yield up to 99%, TONs up to 1.98 × 10).

Cyclometalated platinum(II) complexes with acyclic diaminocarbene ligands for OLED application.

A novel series of cyclometalated platinum(II) complexes bearing acyclic diaminocarbene (ADC) ancillary ligands were designed and prepared. Their photophysical properties were systematically studied through experimental and theoretical investigations. All complexes exhibit green phosphorescence with a quantum efficiency of up to 45% in 2 wt% doped PMMA film at room temperature.

(Isocyano Group π-Hole)⋅⋅⋅[d -M ] Interactions of (Isocyanide)[M ] Complexes, in which Positively Charged Metal Centers (d -M=Pt, Pd) Act as Nucleophiles.

Inspection of the X-ray structures of the newly prepared trans-[M (CNXyl) (DAPT) ]Cl(BF ) (M=Pd, Pt; Xyl=2,6-Me C H ; DAPT=4,6-diaminopyrimidine-2(1H)-thione) complexes and the appropriate Hirshfeld molecular surface analysis allowed the recognition of the previously unknown π-hole⋅⋅⋅metal interactions between a ligated isocyano group (acting as a π-hole donor) and the positively charged d -Pt and d -Pd metal centers (acting as nucleophiles); this is the first identification of π-hole⋅⋅⋅metal interactions with triple-bond species. Results of DFT calculations followed by the topological analysis of the electron density distribution within the framework of Bader's theory (quantum theory of atoms in molecules, QTAIM) confirmed the presence of these contacts. The electrostatic surface potential calculations indicated that π-hole⋅⋅⋅metal contacts are formed upon interaction between the electrophilic isocyano C atom (π-hole donor) and the nucleophilic d orbital of the metal centers, which act as π-hole acceptors.