Issue 1, 2020

Aggregation induced emission of a new naphthyridine-ethynyl–gold(i) complex as a potential tool for sensing guanosine nucleotides in aqueous media

Abstract

A new organometallic alkynyl–gold(I) complex capable of exhibiting aggregation induced emission was designed and synthesized. The linear complex structure possesses a central Au(I) atom, bearing two axial ligands: (1) 1,3,5-triaza-7-phosphaadamantane and (2) 2-acetamido-7-ethynyl-1,8-naphthyridine. While the former accounts for its partial solubility in an aqueous environment, the latter acts as a receptor unit for binding guanosine nucleotides and derivatives via multiple hydrogen bonding interactions. At high concentrations, aggregation of the complex was observed by the formation of new absorption (λmax ∼ 400 nm) and emission bands (550–700 nm). Formation of aggregates of ca. 60 nm diameter was confirmed by Small Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS). Disruption of the aggregates in the presence of guanosine derivatives resulted in a ratiometric signal with apparent association constants in the order of 105 M−1 and high sensitivity (around 63% signal change) which are, to the best of our knowledge, in line with the highest values recorded for nucleotide sensors based on hydrogen bonding and capable of working in water. Computational studies indicate the presence of additional hydrogen bonding interactions that account for the strong binding of the Au(I) complex to phosphorylated guanosine nucleotides.

Graphical abstract: Aggregation induced emission of a new naphthyridine-ethynyl–gold(i) complex as a potential tool for sensing guanosine nucleotides in aqueous media

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
25 out 2019
Accepted
22 nov 2019
First published
26 nov 2019

Dalton Trans., 2020,49, 171-178

Aggregation induced emission of a new naphthyridine-ethynyl–gold(I) complex as a potential tool for sensing guanosine nucleotides in aqueous media

A. J. Moro, J. Avó, M. Malfois, F. Zaccaria, C. Fonseca Guerra, F. J. Caparrós, L. Rodríguez and J. C. Lima, Dalton Trans., 2020, 49, 171 DOI: 10.1039/C9DT04162A

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements