Synthesis, Properties and Biological Evaluation of Ferrocene-Modified Peptides and Biomolecules

Dear Colleagues,

The bioorganometallic chemistry of ferrocene addresses the role of ferrocene in biological systems, focusing on the design and synthesis of ferrocene-containing peptides as models for the study of protein folding, and ferrocene conjugates with biomolecules used to diagnose and combat microbial infections.

The design and development of small molecules that mimic the secondary structures of recognition domains in protein-protein interactions have been the focus of scientific research over the past 40 years. Being structurally different from natural analogs, peptide and protein mimetics are characterized by higher conformational and proteolytic stability and generally better pharmacological properties compared to natural peptides and proteins. One of the approaches for designing peptidomimetics is based on the use of small, rigid molecular scaffolds such as ferrocene, which are capable of inducing highly ordered secondary structure elements when inserted into the unordered peptides.

Ferrocene is not only easy to modify, but is also characterized by stability, redox activity, and lipophilicity, which gives its conjugates with biomolecules significant biological potential. For example, the problems of ineffectiveness of tamoxifen against estrogen-independent cancer cells and microbial resistance to chloroquine have been successfully solved by derivatization with ferrocene to obtain the ferrocifen and ferroquine, which are considered the best-known bioorganometallic compounds.

Considering the beneficial effect that ferrocene may have on the molecular properties and biological activity of its conjugates with peptides and biomolecules, you are cordially invited to contribute to this Special Issue with your work.

Dr. Lidija Barišić
Guest Editor

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