The cationic enantiopure
(
R,R
) and luminescent Eu(III) complex [Eu(b
iso
Qcd)(H
2
O)
2
] OTf (with b
iso
Qcd =
N,N′
-bis(2-
iso
quinolinmethyl)-
trans
-1,2-diaminocyclohexane
N,N′
-diacetate and OTf = triflate) was synthesized
and characterized. At physiological pH, the 1:1 [Eu(b
iso
Qcd)(H
2
O)
2
]
+
species, possessing
two water molecules in the inner coordination sphere, is largely dominant.
The interaction with bovine serum albumin (BSA) was studied by means
of several experimental techniques, such as luminescence spectroscopy,
isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), molecular docking (MD), and
molecular dynamics simulations (MDS). In this direction, a ligand
competition study was also performed by using three clinically established
drugs (i.e., ibuprofen, warfarin, and digitoxin). The nature of this
interaction is strongly affected by the type of the involved heteroaromatic
antenna in the Eu(III) complexes. In fact, the presence of
iso
quinoline rings drives the corresponding complex toward
the protein superficial area containing the tryptophan residue 134
(Trp134). As the main consequence, the metal center undergoes the
loss of one water molecule upon interaction with the side chain of
a glutamic acid residue. On the other hand, the similar complex containing
pyridine rings ([Eu(bpcd)(H
2
O)
2
]Cl with bpcd
=
N,N′
-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)-trans-1,2-diaminocyclohexane
N,N′
-diacetate) interacts more weakly with the protein
in a different superficial cavity, without losing the coordinated
water molecules.