Synthesis of cyclometalated gold (III) complexesfunctionalized by alkynyl derivatives. Study of the interaction with DNA secondary structures.

This thesis explores the synthesis of cyclometalated gold(III) complexes functionalized by alkynyl ligands, as well as the study of the interaction of the studied complexes with DNA secondary structures. In this work, bidentate and tridentate ligands, in particular derived from both phenylpyridine and diphenylpyridine, respectively, have been employed as framework structure in order to stabilize the studied gold complexes. Chapter 1 studies the synthesis of cyclometalated gold(III) complexes functionalized by alkynyl derivatives. The main feature of the employed alkynyl derivatives was its functionalization by amino ester terminal groups, suitable to be converted to amino acids, which are overexpressed in cells and may promote the interaction of the studied complexes with DNA. Chapter 2 explores a study of the interaction of the synthesized gold(III) complexes with DNA secondary structures. Making use of a variety of analytical techniques, such as circular dichroism (CD), FRET melting experiments, FRET titration and UV difference spectrum, we have observed that a selection of the studied gold complexes may exert interaction with certain DNA secondary structure in physiological media. Chapter 3 reports the attempts to conduct the synthesis of a family of cyclometallated (C^N) gold(III) complexes capable of bearing two functionalisable substituents. In recent years, our research group has proven the excellent reactivity of certain tridentate (C^N^C) gold (III) complexes as mild base, allowing C–H or N–H activation to synthesize gold aryls, alkynyls and heteoaryls derivatives. However, the rigidity of the tridentate framework has limitated the reactivity of this system. Accordingly, the aim of this chapter is the synthesis of bidentate gold (III) derivatives, which may provide a wide range of reactivity possibilities because of the presence of two functionalisable positions.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

mphil

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

doctoral

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

University of East Anglia

Year dc:date.issued

2016

Author dc:creator

• Bajo Sanchez, Angel

Language dc:language

en