Bioinorganic chemistry

Description of impact

Transition metal complexes behaving analogously to natural systems are prepared and characterized. This involves redox-type processes such as the synthesis of complexes that model the active centre of non-hemo type proteins participating in oxygen metabolism. Structural, spectroscopic and mechanistic knowledge may allow the design of model systems for industrial applications. The chemistry of high states of metal oxidation involved in the catalytic activity of oxygenase enzymes (Cu, Co, Fe and Mn), of interest in the design of biomimetic oxidation catalysts using clean oxidants such as O2 or H2O2 for the oxidation of hydrocarbons, is studied together with the activity of these complexes in H2 generation reactions. Dinuclear complexes of Ru and Mn involved in H2O to O2 oxidation catalysis imitating the OEC of green plants are investigated. The interaction mechanisms of mono and dinuclear complexes of Pt and Cu with DNA are studied to evaluate nuclease and antitumoural activity.