₃₄ Se The Use of Selenium‐Based Drugs in Medicine

Protolytic Cleavage of Hg–C Bonds Induced by 1-Methyl-1,3-dihydro-2H-benzimidazole-2-selone: Synthesis and Structural Characterization of Mercury Complexes

“…The toxicological properties of mercury 1 have been attributed to both its thiophilicity 1 − 4 and its selenophilicity. 4 − 6 With respect to the latter, selenium is an important component of antioxidants, 7 , 9 and the interaction between Hg(II) and selenium compounds may reduce the bioavailability of selenium via the formation of insoluble mercury selenide species. 4 , 5 , 9 Furthermore, mercury may bind to the active sites of selenoenzymes and thereby inhibit their functions.…”

“… 4 − 6 With respect to the latter, selenium is an important component of antioxidants, 7 , 9 and the interaction between Hg(II) and selenium compounds may reduce the bioavailability of selenium via the formation of insoluble mercury selenide species. 4 , 5 , 9 Furthermore, mercury may bind to the active sites of selenoenzymes and thereby inhibit their functions. 4 , 6 For example, selenium is a component of a variety of enzymes that incorporate the amino acids selenocysteine and selenomethionine (Figure 1 ), as illustrated by glutathione peroxidases, thioredoxin reductases, glycine reductases, formate dehydrogenases, and selenoprotein P. 4 , 5 , 7 , 10 Other examples of selenium-containing biomolecules include the amino acid derivatives selenoneine 11 , 12 and Se-methylselenoneine 12 , 13 (Figure 1 ), of which the latter was identified in human urine and blood.…”

Phenylselenolate mercury alkyl compounds, PhSeHgMe and PhSeHgEt: Molecular structures, protolytic Hg–C bond cleavage and phenylselenolate exchange

“…1,2 For example, selenium is an important component of antioxidants 3,4 and coordination to mercury can reduce the bioavailability of selenium. 5,6 Furthermore, selenium is present in a variety of biomolecules, such as selenocysteine, selenomethionine, selenoneine and Se-methylselenoneine, 1,3,7–10 and the binding of mercury to the active sites of selenoenzymes can inhibit their functions.…”

2-Seleno-1-alkylbenzimidazoles and their diselenides: Synthesis and structural characterization of a 2-seleno-1-methylbenzimidazole complex of mercury

“…While the toxicological properties of mercury are often associated with its high affinity for sulfur, 1,2,3 its toxicity has also been attributed to its impact on the biochemical roles of selenium, 4 which has been described as the most important antioxidant element in the human body. 5 Specifically, it has been suggested that (i) the interaction between Hg(II) and selenium compounds may reduce the bioavailability of selenium via the formation of insoluble mercury selenide species 6 and (ii) mercury may bind to the active sites of selenoenzymes and thereby inhibit their functions.…”

“…5 Specifically, it has been suggested that (i) the interaction between Hg(II) and selenium compounds may reduce the bioavailability of selenium via the formation of insoluble mercury selenide species 6 and (ii) mercury may bind to the active sites of selenoenzymes and thereby inhibit their functions. 7 Selenium is a well-known component of a variety of enzymes that incorporate the amino acids selenocysteine and selenomethionine (Figure 1), examples of which include glutathione peroxidases, thioredoxin reductases, glycine reductase, formate dehydrogenases, and selenoprotein P. 4,8 Furthermore, the amino acid derivative selenoneine (Figure 1), a 2–selenoimidazole analogue of ergothioneine, has been discovered in the blood of bluefin tuna, 9 while Se-methylselenoneine (Figure 1) has more recently identified in human urine and blood. 10 In view of the proposal that the toxicity of mercury is linked to its impact on the biochemical roles of selenium, it is pertinent to develop further the coordination chemistry of mercury in an environment that features selenium.…”