Structurally Defined Water‐Soluble Metallofullerene Derivatives towards Biomedical Applications. Issue 3 (2nd December 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Li, Yanbang; Biswas, Rohin; Kopcha, William P.; Dubroca, Thierry; Abella, Laura; Sun, Yue; Crichton, Ryan A.; Rathnam, Christopher; Yang, Letao; Yeh, Yao‐Wen; Kundu, Krishnendu; Rodríguez‐Fortea, Antonio; Poblet, Josep M.; Lee, Ki‐Bum; Hill, Stephen; Zhang, Jianyuan
• Is Part Of: Angewandte Chemie international edition. Volume 62:Issue 3(2023)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2022-12-02
• Subjects: Contrast Agents -- Endohedral Fullerenes -- Rare Earth Compounds -- Supramolecular Chemistry -- Synthesis Design; Chemistry -- Periodicals; 540
• DOI: 10.1002/anie.202211704
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1433-7851

Abstract

Abstract: Endohedral metallofullerenes (EMFs) are excellent carriers of rare‐earth element (REE) ions in biomedical applications because they preclude the release of toxic metal ions. However, existing approaches to synthesize water‐soluble EMF derivatives yield mixtures that inhibit precise drug design. Here we report the synthesis of metallobuckytrio (MBT), a three‐buckyball system, as a modular platform to develop structurally defined water‐soluble EMF derivatives with ligands by choice. Demonstrated with PEG ligands, the resulting water‐soluble MBTs show superb biocompatibility. The Gd MBTs exhibit superior T 1 relaxivity than typical Gd complexes, potentially superseding current clinical MRI contrast agents in both safety and efficiency. The Lu MBTs generated reactive oxygen species upon light irradiation, showing promise as photosensitizers. With their modular nature to incorporate other ligands, we anticipate the MBT platform to open new paths towards bio‐specific REE drugs. Abstract : A modular metallobuckytrio (MBT) platform provides a family of structurally defined, water‐soluble metallofullerene derivatives that can safely carry rare‐earth elements in tailorable molecules, showing promise in biomedicines including MRI contrast agents and photosensitizers.