Bioorganometallic chemistry of osmium carbonyl clusters

Abstract

This thesis describes two potential applications of osmium clusters. The original aim was to examine the use of such clusters as tags in the mid-infrared in the imaging of cells but the investigations eventually culminated in the discovery of the anticancer properties of some of these clusters.The water-soluble cluster [Na]+2a-, and a osmium cluster derivative of phosphotidycholine, 3, have been synthesized and shown to permeate the cell membrane with ease and function as an infrared spectroscopic tag for cell imaging. The cytotoxicity of [Na]+2a- and 3 at higher concentrations prompted us to investigate the anticancer properties of osmium clusters. The anticancer properties and intracellular mechanism of osmium clusters were studies in detail.