Tetraazamacrocyclic complexes of transition metals provide useful units for incorporating multiple coordination interactions into a single protein binding molecule. They can be designed with available sites for protein interactions via donor atom-containing amino acid side chains or labile ligands, such as H(2)O, allowing facile exchange. Three configurationally restricted nickel(II) cyclam complexes with either one or two macrocyclic rings were synthesised and their ability to abrogate the CXCR4 chemokine receptor signalling process was assessed (IC(50) = 8320, 194 and 14 nM). Analogues were characterised crystallographically to determine the geometric parameters of the acetate binding as a model for aspartate. The most active nickel(II) compound was tested in several anti-HIV assays against representative viral strains showing highly potent EC(50) values down to 13 nM against CXCR4 using viruses, with no observed cytotoxicity (CC(50) > 125 μM).

Using transition metals such as manganese(II), iron(II), cobalt(II), nickel(II), copper(II), and zinc(II), several new metal complexes of cross-bridged tetraazamacrocyclic chelators namely, cyclen- and cyclam-analogs with benzyl groups, were synthesized and screened for in vitro antimalarial activity against chloroquine-resistant (W2) and chloroquine-sensitive (D6) strains of Plasmodium falciparum. The metal-free chelators tested showed little or no antimalarial activity. All the metal complexes of the dibenzyl cross-bridged cyclam ligand exhibited potent antimalarial activity. The Mn2+ complex of this ligand was the most potent with IC50s of 0.127 and 0.157 µM against the chloroquine-sensitive (D6) and chloroquine-resistant (W2) P. falciparum strains, respectively. In general, the dibenzyl hydrophobic ligands showed better antimalarial activity compared to the activity of monobenzyl ligands, potentially because of their higher lipophilicity and thus better cell penetration ability. The higher antimalarial activity displayed by the manganese complex for the cyclam ligand in comparison to that of the cyclen, correlates with the larger pocket of cyclam compared to that of cyclen which produces a more stable complex with the Mn2+. Few of the Cu2+ and Fe2+ complexes also showed improvement in activity but Ni2+, Co2+ and Zn2+ complexes did not show any improvement in activity upon the metal-free ligands for anti-malarial development.

The CXCR4 chemokine receptor is implicated in a number of diseases including HIV infection and cancer development and metastasis. Previous studies have demonstrated that configurationally restricted bis-tetraazamacrocyclic metal complexes are high-affinity CXCR4 antagonists. Here, we present the synthesis of Cu2+ and Zn2+ acetate complexes of six cross-bridged tetraazamacrocycles to mimic their coordination interaction with the aspartate side chains known to bind them to CXCR4. X-ray crystal structures for three new Cu2+ acetate complexes and two new Zn2+ acetate complexes, demonstrate metal-ion dependent differences in the mode of binding the acetate ligand concomitantly with the requisite cis-V configured cross-bridged tetraazamacrocyle. Concurrent density functional theory molecular modelling studies produced an energetic rationale for the unexpected [Zn(OAc)(H2O)]+ coordination motif present in all of the Zn2+ cross-bridged tetraazamacrocycle crystal structures, which differs from the chelating acetate [Zn(OAc)]+ structures of known unbridged and side-bridged tetraazamacrocyclic Zn2+ containing CXCR4 antagonists.

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Ni and Co complexes of cross-bridged vs. unbridged tetraazamacrocycle acetate complexes reveal preferences likely to impact CXCR4 antagonist interactions.

In contrast to other similar compounds, [FeCl2(C14H30N4)]PF6 is a monomer. Comparison with the mononuclear Fe2+ complex of the same ligand shows that the smaller Fe3+ ion is more fully engulfed by the cavity of the bicyclic ligand. Comparison with the μ-oxo dinuclear complex of an unsubstituted ligand of the same size demonstrates that the methyl groups of 4,11-dimethyl-1,4,8,11-tetra­aza­bicyclo­[6.6.2]hexa­decane prevent dimerization upon oxidation.