A Novel Tri-Coordination Zinc Complex Functionalized Silicotungstate with ROS Catalytic Ability and Anti-Tumor Cells Activity

Abstract

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) can be used as an effective method to treat tumors. Artificial oxidase has received increasing attention as a catalyst for ROS generation in fields ranging from bioinorganic chemistry to pharmaceutical chemistry. In this study, an artificial oxidase based on a binuclear zinc complex and Keggin-type silicotungstate [Zn2(4,4′-bpy)(Phen)2][SiW12O40] (ZSW) (4,4′-bpy = 4,4′-bipyridine; Phen = 1,10-phenanthroline) was synthesized and structurally featured in terms of its X-ray photoelectron spectrum (XPS), bond valence sum (Σs) calculation, IR spectra, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SXRD). ZSW is an ionic compound in which the cation is a binuclear zinc complex [Zn2(4,4′-bpy)(Phen)2]4+ and the anion is a α-Keggin-type silicotungstate [SiW12O40]4– cluster. Notably, the Zn ions in the [Zn2(4,4′-bpy)(Phen)2] exist in tri-coordination, which was first obtained in polyoxometalate (POM) chemistry. It was also demonstrated that ZSW is capable of efficiently catalyzing the production of ROS, which, according to the computational calculations, may be due to the synergistic action of zinc complexes and POM building blocks. Furthermore, ZSW exhibited inhibition ability toward ROS-sensitive tumor cells, such as PC12 cells.