Analysis of dirhenium carboxylate : purine dinucleotide adducts

The discovery of cisplatin, cis-[pt(NH3)2Cl2], as an anticancer agent in 1969 by Rosenbert and his colleagues sparked interest in the area of metal complexes as chemotherapeutic agents. Anticancer dimetal complexes such as Re2(O2CCH2CH3)2Br4·2H2O are proposed to prevent replication of cancel cells by coordinating to the purine nucleobases in DNA. To investigate the interaction between dimetal compounds and DNA, dirhenium complexes coordinated to purine dinucleotides were isolated and analyzed. LC/MS, HPLC, 1H NMR, and UV-Visible spectroscopy were used to characterized complexes of Re2(O2CR)2X4·2H2O (R = CH3, CH2CH3; X= Cl, Br) with the purine dinucleotides dApG and dGpG. HPLC, UV-Vis, and 1H NMR are used to investigate the aquation of Re2(O2C2H3)2Cl4μ2H2O which may contribute to its biological activity. Upon reaction of Re22C2H3)2Cl4μ2H2O with dApG or dGpG, the intact dirhenium:dinucleotide complex is observed by LC/MS after two days. In both of these reactions, dirhenium:GMP complexes are also observes. 1H NMR studies show the appearance of new resonances in the aromatic region that cannot be attributed to starting material or hydrolyzed DNA fragments. These resonances are proposed to result from the formation of dirhenium:dinucleotide complexes. Additionally, MS spectra support the conclusion that a complex between the dinuclear rhenium complex and the purine dinucleotides of dApG and dGpG is formed after two days. A dirhenium:nucleotide product is also formed as a result of the dinucleotide hydrolysis