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Updated: Jul 18, 2026

Synthesis of a Water-soluble Metal–Organic Complex Array
Published on: October 8, 2016
Self-assembly and cytotoxicity study of waterwheel-like dinuclear metal complexes: the first metal complexes appended
Wen-Hua Wang1, Wei-Sheng Liu, Ya-Wen Wang
1College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, People's Republic of China.
Abstract:
Two waterwheel-like dinuclear complexes [M(2)(PHA)(4)(H(2)O)(2)] (M = Cu(II) (1), Zn(II) (2); HPHA = phthal-hydroxamic acid) appended with four free hydroxamic acid groups, namely, free hydroxamic acid metal complexes (FHAMCs) have been synthesized and characterized. The crystal structure of complex 1 was determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction, which adopts the paddlewheel motif with four bidentate carboxylate ligands joining two Cu(II) ions. The relative cytotoxicities of compounds 1 and 2 against SMMC-7721 and HO-8910 cell lines are similar and more predominant than HPHA (IC(50): Cu(II)>Zn(II)>>HPHA). The synergic effect of the bound water molecules, multiple free hydroxamic acid groups and dimetal active sites with bridging carboxylate may have significant impacts on their pharmacological activity. As the prototype for a new class of hydroxamic acid derivatives, the self-assembly of FHAMCs presents a promising new strategy in designing multiple hydroxamic acids with remarkable bioactivities.
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