Versatile applications of water soluble Gold complexes

Abstract

The ability of the different water soluble phosphanes, as 1,3,5-triaza-7-phosphadaamante (PTA), some of its derivatives as DAPTA, and mono- di- and tri-sulfonate triphenylphospane (TPPMS, TPPDS, and TPPTS) to trasmit their water solubility to the corresponding gold complexes has permited the synthesis of compounds that found applications in a wide of different areas: new pigments in designed tiles, as new drugs on different molecular therapy and recyclable catalyst precursor to operate in water. In this commmunication we present results of our group. The use of ploter for the new type of ceramics requires the shynthesis of new inks able to develop the colors in the oven at high temperature. The gold complexes are selected for the formation of magenta red color. The new ink should be soluble in water of at least in alcholic media for enviromental aspects. The water solubility of the new gold complexes made them suitable to dissolve in the blood serum and, therefore, be effective as new agents of molecular therapy eg as anticancer drugs. We present results against different types of cancer cells, both in vitro and in vivo. Among the new non platinum complexes as potential anticancer drug, gold(I) derivatives have gained increasing attention due to the observation that the action mechanism is different to the cis-platinum and non interaction with DNA occurs, and inhibit the enzyme thioredoxin reductasa, (TrxR), making these complexes very appropriate for a second treatment against cis-platinum resistance cancer. Some synergic effect with other cancer drug as 5-flluorouracile is presented. Again the water solubility of some of these complexes or palladium derivatives could be of interest as catalyst precursors for different C-C coupling reactions in water. Apart of the interest for using water as solvent, they permits in many case one important recovery and recycle of the catalyst. The use of other water soluble phosphanes and new thiolate funtionalized to improve their solubility in this media is presented.