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The relationship between the electrospray ionization behaviour and biological activity of some phosphino Cu(I) complexes
Author(s) -
Tisato Francesco,
Refosco Fiorenzo,
Porchia Marina,
Tegoni Matteo,
Gandin Valentina,
Marzano Cristina,
Pellei Maura,
Papini Grazia,
Lucato Lara,
Seraglia Roberta,
Traldi Pietro
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
rapid communications in mass spectrometry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.528
H-Index - 136
eISSN - 1097-0231
pISSN - 0951-4198
DOI - 10.1002/rcm.4553
Subject(s) - chemistry , electrospray ionization , copper , phosphine , dissociation (chemistry) , metal , ionization , electrospray , stereochemistry , mass spectrometry , combinatorial chemistry , crystallography , ion , organic chemistry , chromatography , catalysis
Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry was usefully employed for the characterization of three phosphino copper(I) complexes of medicinal interest. This technique revealed that the original [CuL 4 ] + pro‐drugs (L = hydrophilic tertiary phosphine) underwent dissociation with production of coordinative unsaturated [CuL 3 ] + and [CuL 2 ] + species, which represented key intermediates for the activation of potential biological properties. The more favoured was the displacement of the ligands from the [CuL 4 ] + parent complex, the more favoured was in turn the possibility for the metal ion to directly interact with biological substrates, including pharmacological targets related to cancer proliferation. An inverse correlation between the stability and the cytotoxic activity of the three copper(I) complexes investigated has been clearly established. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.