Incorporating ECE-pincer metal complexes as functional building blocks in semisynthetic metalloenzymes, supramolecular polypeptide hybrids, tamoxifen derivatives, biomarkers and sensors

ECE-pincer metal compounds often have excellent thermal and chemical stability, which makes these organometallics attractive for use as building blocks in bioorganometallic chemistry. This account highlights different applications of hybrids involving covalent or non-covalent assemblies of ECE-pincer building blocks as, in anticarcinogenic agents (e.g. tamoxifen derivatives), carbohydrates (surface plasmon resonance enhancers), polypeptides (supramolecular synthons) and solid supports (organometallic peptide-labels) or lipases (biocatalysts). The molecular structures of a typical surface plasmon resonance enhancer (A) and a lipase (B), both containing a covalently attached NCN-pincer platinum complex, are shown. The design, synthesis, structural analysis and potential applications of semisynthetic pincer-metalloenzymes is also discussed.