Author

Mai Tanaka

Date of Award

2016

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

Department

Natural Sciences

First Advisor

Sherman, Suzanne

Area of Concentration

Biochemistry

Abstract

Some Keppler-type complexes, with a general formula trans-HL[RuCl4L2], have shown promising anticancer activities. Protonated-transtetrachlorbis( pyrazole)ruthenate(III), H[RuCl4pyz2], along with two other previously synthesized Keppler-type complexes: trans-indazolium tetrachlorobis(indazole)ruthenate(III), KP1019, and trans-thiazolium tetrachlorobis(thiazole)ruthenate(III), Htz[RuCl4tz2], were synthesized and characterized by means of FTIR, 1H-NMR and UV-vis spectrometry. Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry was conducted on H[RuCl4pyz2]. The result indicates peaks at 403.85, 243.77 and 208.81 g mol-1, which correspond to [RuCl4pyz2]", [RuCl4]" and [RuCl3]2- fragments, respectively. In addition, studies of the complexes were carried out to examine hydrolysis patterns, binding to serum proteins and interactions with plasmid DNA. The pseudo first-order rate constant of hydrolysis was 2.625 x 10-5 s-1 for Htz[RuCl4tz2]. The hydrolysis of H[RuCl4pyz2] showed a similar absorbance pattern to Htz[RuCl4tz2], but the kinetics of the pseudo first-order rate constant of hydrolysis could not be elucidated. Preliminary results of the complexes’ interactions with bovine serum albumin (BSA) and apotransferrin (apoTf) suggest that there are some interactions between the complexes and the proteins, with all three complexes binding to a greater extent with apoTf than BSA. Neither Htz[RuCl4tz2] nor H[RuCl4pyz2] induced uncoiling or bending of plasmid DNA over 60 minutes.

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