Novel amine- or ammonium-terminated carbosilane dendrimers of type nG-[Si{OCH2(C6H3)-3,5-(OCH2CH2NMe2)2}]x, nG-[Si{O(CH2)2N(Me)(CH2)2NMe2}]x and nG-[Si{(CH2)3NH2}]x or nG-[Si{OCH2(C6H3)-3,5-(OCH2CH2NMe3 +I-)2}]x, nG-[Si{O(CH2)2N(Me)(CH2)2NMe3 +I-}]x, and nG-[Si{(CH2)3NH3 +Cl-}]x have been synthesized and characterized up to the third generation by two strategies: 1) alcoholysis of Si--Cl bonds with amino alcohols and subsequent quaternization with MeI, and 2) hydrosilylation of allylamine with Si--H bonds of the dendritic systems and subsequent quaternization with HCl. Quaternized carbosilane dendrimers are soluble in water, although degradation is apparent due to hydrolysis of Si--O bonds. However, dendrimers containing Si--C bonds are water-stable. The biocompatibility of the second-generation dendrimers in primary cell cultures of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and erythrocytes have been analyzed, and they show good toxicity profiles over extended periods. In addition, we describe a study on the interactions between the different carbosilane dendrimers and DNA oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) and plasmids along with a comparative analysis of their toxicity. They can form complexes with DNA ODNs and plasmids at biocompatible doses via electrostatic interaction. Also a preliminary transfection assay has been accomplished. These results demonstrate that the new ammonium-terminated carbosilane dendrimers are good base molecules to be considered for biomedical applications.

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Controlling the synthesis of stable metal nanoparticles in water is a current challenge in nanochemistry. The strategy presented herein uses sulfonated N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands to stabilize platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs) in water, under air, for an indefinite time period. The particles were prepared by thermal decomposition of a preformed molecular Pt complex containing the NHC ligand and were then purified by dialysis and characterized by TEM, high-resolution TEM, and spectroscopic techniques. Solid-state NMR studies showed coordination of the carbene ligands to the nanoparticle surface and allowed the determination of a (13)C-(195)Pt coupling constant for the first time in a nanosystem (940 Hz). Additionally, in one case a novel structure was formed in which platinum(II) NHC complexes form a second coordination sphere around the nanoparticle.

This report describes the synthesis of water-soluble silver(I) and platinum(II) complexes bearing sulfonated mono- or dianionic N-heterocyclic carbene ligands. Thus, treatment of the corresponding zwitterionic imidazolium derivative with silver(I) oxide in water afforded the light-sensitive bis(carbene) complexes Ag[Ag(NHC)2] (2 Ag+ ), which were transformed into the stable salts Na[Ag(NHC)2] (2) by addition of sodium chloride. In contrast, the same reaction in dmso afforded mono(carbenes) of general formula Na[AgCl(NHC)] (3). The solvent-dependence of the reaction product can be rationalized on the basis of the equilibrium [AgCl2]− ↔ AgCl + Cl–. The precipitation of silver chloride is more favored in protic solvents than in aprotic solvents such as dmso, thus explaining the formation of bis(carbenes) in water. The formation of silver chloride may also promote the hydrolysis of silver NHC complexes under some conditions. The water-soluble platinum(II) complexes Na[PtCl2(dmso)(NHC)] were synthesized by using either mono(carbene) silver complexes 3 as carbene-transfer agents or by direct metalation of the imidazolium salt with cis-[PtCl2(dmso)2] in the presence of NaHCO3 as base. The (NHC)Pt(II) complexes were tested as catalysts for the hydration of alkynes in the aqueous phase and found to be active in neat water without the need for acidic cocatalysts.