Synthesis and Characterization of Cadmium and Zinc Model Compounds of Biological Relevance

LeRoy Peterson, Jr.博士，弗朗西斯马里昂大学化学与物理系，由化学学部无机、生物无机和有机金属化学项目为少数民族科学家和工程师提供研究计划资助，研究锌和镉络合物，这些络合物模拟了这些金属在生物系统中的作用。为此，将利用聚吡唑硼酸盐、核酸和羧酸盐配体制备一系列锌和镉化合物并对其进行表征。这些配合物的结构和性质将用于了解金属与复杂生物分子的相互作用。锌在多种酶中起着重要作用，并参与许多生物化学过程，包括DNA复制、识别、倒卷和降解。从化学上讲，镉与锌密切相关，但与锌相比，镉的毒性很大。这项研究的主要目标是建立锌和镉在生物系统中控制其行为的重要化学方面。这项计划拨款的很大一部分将涉及与附近实验室建立合作安排，这将使彼得森博士和他的学生能够使用弗朗西斯马里昂大学没有的仪器。

Dr. LeRoy Peterson, Jr., Department of Chemistry and Physics, Francis Marion University, is supported under a Research Planning Grant for Minority Scientists and Engineers by the Inorganic, Bioinorganic, and Organometallic Chemistry Program of the Chemistry Division for the study of zinc and cadmium complexes which model the action of these metals in biological systems. To this end a series of zinc and cadmium compounds utilizing poly(pyrazolyl)borate, nucleic acid, and carboxylate ligands will be prepared and characterized. The structures and properties of these complexes will be used to understand the interactions of the metals with complex biological molecules. Zinc plays important roles in a diverse series of enzymes and is involved in many biochemical processes including DNA replication, recognition, rewinding, and degradation. Chemically cadmium is closely related to zinc, but, in contrast to zinc, is quite toxic. The major goal of the research is to establish the important aspects of the chemistry of zinc and cadmium that govern their behavior in biological systems. A significant portion of this planning grant will involve the establishment of collaborative arrangements with nearby laboratories, which will allow Dr. Peterson and his students access to instrumentation not available at Francis Marion University.