Nanocrystalline hydroxyapatite (HAp) prepared by a precipitation route was investigated. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) powder patterns of the elongated nanocrystals with a typical diameter of about 10 nm and length of 30-50 nm (by transmission electron microscopy (TEM)) revealed the presence of HAp with significantly broadened XRD reflections. However, Ca deficiency was found, as the Ca/P ratio was 1.5 only (so-called calcium-deficient hydroxyapatite (CDHA)), and not 1.67. This Ca deficiency of nanocrystalline HAp is explained using NMR. It is shown unambiguously that (i) the nanocrystals consist of a crystalline core and a (disordered) surface region with a relative phosphate content of about 1:1, (ii) the crystalline core is HAp, and (iii) the surface region is dominated by hydrogen phosphate anions (with no hydroxyapatite-like structural motif) and structural water (hydrate). From the relative phosphate content and taking into account the crystal shape, the thickness of the surface layer along the main crystal axis could be estimated to be about 1 nm, and the average chemical composition of the surface layer has been determined. Finally, a Ca/P ratio of 1.52 was estimated from the NMR data that compares well with the value of 1.51 from chemical analysis. The important consequences are that the surface of nanocrystalline HAp has nothing in common with the bulk composition and that the chemistry of such materials (e.g. the binding of protein molecules to phosphate surfaces) must be reconsidered.

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Calcium phosphate nanoparticles can be prepared in almost uniform size and shape by a continuous precipitation process that also allows their functionalisation by organic molecules (DNA, surfactants).

Cylinders of biomimetic (nanocrystalline) calcium phosphate were loaded with gentamicin by four different methods: 1) dip-coating, 2) impregnation followed by cold-isostatic pressing, 3) co-precipitation followed by cold-isostatic pressing, and 4) coating of coprecipitated particles with a biodegradable polymer PDLLA (poly-D,L-lactide), followed by uniaxial pressing. The release kinetics were studied in vitro over 10 days. The incorporation by methods 2), 3) and 4) showed a significantly higher long-term release of active gentamicin than dip-coating, although there was an initial burst during the first two days with all four methods. With method 4), there was an increase of the released gentamicin after 7 days, and the long-term release was the highest of these four methods. The results are of considerable interest for the preparation of biodegradable bone implants which are loaded with biologically active substances.

Adenine acidification as a consequence of simultaneous PtII binding to N1 and N7 facilitates deprotonation of the exocyclic N(6)H2 group and permits PtII migration from N1 to N6 under mild conditions. Starting from the trinuclear complex cis-[(NH3)2Pt(N1-9-MeA-N7)2{Pt(NH3)3)}2]6+ (3), stepwise migration of cis-(NH3)2PtII takes place in the alkaline aqueous solution to give initially cis-[(NH3)2Pt(N1-9-MeA-N7)(N6-9-MeA--N7){Pt(NH3)3}2]5+ (4) and eventually cis-[(NH3)2Pt(N6-9-MeA--N7)2{Pt(NH3)3}2]4+ (5) (with 9-MeA = neutral 9-methyladenine, 9-MeA- = 9-methyl-adenine monoanion, deprotonated at N6). The migration process has been studied by 1H NMR spectroscopy, and relevant acid-base equilibria have been determined. 5 has been crystallized as its nitrate salt and has been characterized by X-ray crystallography. The precursor of 3, [(NH3)3Pt (9-MeA-N7)]Cl2.2H2O (2) has likewise been studied by X-ray analysis.