A rationally designed molecule for removal of cyanide from human blood serum and cytochrome c oxidase

Rationally Designed Circularly Arranged Sextuple Molecule with Dimethoxyphenolic Tentacles for Ample Hunting of Cyanide

“…The affinity of CN – for Fe 2+ of cytochrome c (Cyt c ) makes it one of the highly toxic anions 1−6 because Cyt c –CcOX (cytochrome c oxidase) complex is the last enzyme in the respiratory electron transport chain and the blockage of this pathway limits the oxygen supply that ultimately proves lethal. 7,8 In addition to the available reports on cyanide sensing 9−18 and sequestering compounds such as hydroxocobalamin, 19−24 dicyanocobalt(III) porphyrins, 25−28 vitamin B12 analogues, 29,30 and hexahydrated dichlorides of cobalt(II), 31−34 it was found recently that compounds 1–3 (Chart 1) were capable of removing cyanide from the aqueous medium and human blood serum 35,36 through the more prevalent keto-form of their phenolic moiety and disposing it off in the form of COOH. Hence, it was logically hypothesized that the presence of more such phenolic groups in the molecule may increase its cyanide-sensing capacity and that the capturing of cyanide per molecule of the receptor becomes more effective.…”