Biomimetic iron(III) trishydroxamate complexes and triple stranded diferric helices

Abstract

In order to guarantee sufficient iron(III) uptake, microorganisms produce iron(III) ligands, termed siderophores. They scavenge the scarcely available iron(III) from the environment and deliver it to the cell via a highly specific, active transport process. In this article we describe analogs of hydroxamate siderophores with emphasis on Ferrioxamine derivatives. We present the principles of their design, and synthesis and describe their coordination properties and biological activity. These data enable us to trace the relationship between structural and functional parameters, and apply the knowledge gained for the design of supramolecular arrangements.