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Updated: Aug 21, 2026

Synthesis of Information-bearing Peptoids and their Sequence-directed Dynamic Covalent Self-assembly
Published on: February 6, 2020
Iron catalysed assembly of an asymmetric mixed-ligand triple helicate
Paul V Bernhardt1, Piao Chin, Des R Richardson
1Department of Chemistry, University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, Australia. P.Bernhardt@uq.edu.au
Abstract:
The 2-pyridinecarbaldehyde isonicotinoyl hydrazone (HPCIH) family of ligands are typically tridentate N,N,O chelators that exhibit very high in vitro activity in mobilizing intracellular Fe and are promising candidates for the treatment of Fe overload diseases. Complexation of ferrous perchlorate with HPCIH in MeCN solution gives the expected six-coordinate complex Fe(II)(PCIH)(2). However, complexation of Fe(II) with 2-pyridinecarbaldehyde picolinoyl hydrazone (HPCPH, an isomer of HPCIH) under the same conditions leads to spontaneous assembly of an unprecedented asymmetric, mixed-ligand dinuclear triple helical complex Fe(II)(2)(PCPH)(2)(PPH), where PPH(2-) is the dianion of bis(picolinoyl)hydrazine. The X-ray crystal structure of this complex shows that each ligand binds simultaneously to both metal centres in a bidentate fashion. The dinuclear complex exhibits two well separated and totally reversible Fe(III/II) redox couples as shown by cyclic voltammetry in MeCN solution.
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