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Biomedical subjects

Chi-Ming Che

Publications and source records attributed to Chi-Ming Che.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Oxidation chemistry of poly(ethylene glycol)-supported carbonylruthenium(II) and dioxoruthenium(VI) meso-tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)porphyrin.

[Ru(II)(F(20)-tpp)(CO)] (1, F(20)-tpp=meso-tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)porphyrinato dianion) was covalently attached to poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) through the reaction of 1 with PEG and sodium hydride in DMF. The water-soluble PEG-supported ruthenium porphyrin (PEG-1) is an efficient catalyst for 2,6-Cl(2)pyNO oxidation and PhI==NTs aziridination/amidation of hydrocarbons, and intramolecular amidation of sulfamate esters with PhI(OAc)(2). Oxidation of PEG-1 by m-CPBA in CH(2)Cl(2), dioxane, or water afforded a water-soluble PEG-supported dioxoruthenium(VI) porphyrin (PEG-2), which could react with hydrocarbons to give oxidation products in up to 80 % yield. The behavior of the two PEG-supported ruthenium porphyrin complexes in water was probed by NMR spectroscopy and dynamic light-scattering measurements. PEG-2 is remarkably stable to water. The second-order rate constants (k(2)) for the oxidation of styrene and ethylbenzene by PEG-2 in dioxane-water increase with water content, and the k(2) values at a water content of 70 % or 80 % are up to 188 times that obtained in ClCH(2)CH(2)Cl.

Metalloporphyrins↗

Gold(III) compound is a novel chemocytotoxic agent for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Recently, a series of gold(III) meso-tetraarylporphyrins that are stable against demetallation in physiological conditions have been synthesized. In the present study, the antitumor effects of one of these compounds, gold(III) meso-tetraarylporphyrin 1a (gold-1a) was investigated in an orthotopic rat hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) model as well as using a HCC cell line. The rat HCC model was induced by injection of rat hepatoma cells, McA-RH7777, into the left lobe of the liver. Seven days after tumor cell inoculation, gold-1a was injected directly into the tumor nodule at different doses, followed by the same doses via intraperitoneal injection twice a week. Gold-1a administration significantly prolonged the survival of HCC-bearing rats. Importantly, gold-1a induced necrosis as well as apoptosis in the tumor tissues, but not in the normal liver tissues. Furthermore, gold-1a treatment neither caused significant drop in body weight of the rats nor affected plasma aspartate aminotransferase level. In the in vitro studies, we observed that gold-1a treatment inhibited the proliferation of McA-RH7777 cells. Gold-1a upregulated genes that increase apoptosis, stabilize p53, decrease proliferation and downregulated genes playing roles in angiogenesis, invasion, and metabolism, as demonstrated by microarray. In particular, the compound upregulated 2 members of the growth arrest and DNA damage (Gadd) inducible gene family, Gadd34 and Gadd153. Suppression of Gadd34 and Gadd153 in McA-RH7777 cells by small hairpin RNA reduced the gold-1a-induced apoptosis and growth inhibition, indicating that gold-1a mediated its effects via upregulation of Gadd34 and Gadd153. Results from our study demonstrated that gold-1a might be a novel promising chemocytotoxic agent for treating HCC.

Alanine Transaminase↗

Gold(III) porphyrin-catalyzed cycloisomerization of allenones.

[reaction: see text] Gold(III) porphyrin-catalyzed cycloisomerization of allenones gave the corresponding furans in good to excellent yields (up to 98%) and with quantitative substrate conversions. By recovering the Au(III) catalyst, a recyclable catalytic system is developed with over 8300 product turnovers attained for the cycloisomerization of 1-phenyl-buta-2,3-dien-1-one. The versatility of the gold(III) porphyrin catalyst was exemplified by its application to the hydroamination and hydration of phenylacetylene in 73% and 87% yield, respectively.

Journal Article↗

Dioxiranes generated in situ from pyruvates and oxone as environmentally friendly oxidizing agents for disinfection.

Dioxiranes generated in situ from pyruvates (alpha-keto esters) and Oxone have been found to be environmentally friendly oxidizing agents for disinfection. These oxidizing agents were highly effective for destruction of various strains of bacteria, fungi, and bacterial endospores in a wide temperature range with exceptional stability. Notably, by using an aqueous solution of methyl pyruvate (1a) and Oxone/NaHCO3, complete destruction of bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus and fungus Penicillium corylophilum was achieved within 5 min at 20 degrees C at neutral pH. Highly chemical-resistant bacterial endospores of Bacillus cereus could also be destroyed. The high antibacterial activity of 1a could be attributed to its strong electron-withdrawing alpha-ester group.

Disinfectants↗

Acrosome-specific gene AEP1: identification, characterization and roles in spermatogenesis.

Spermatogenesis is a tightly regulated process leading to the development of spermatozoa. To elucidate the molecular spermatogenic mechanisms, we identified an acrosome-specific gene AEP1 in spermatids, which is located in rat chromosome 17p14 with a transcript size of 3,091 bp encoding a signal peptide, zinc finger-like motif, coiled-coil region, several predicted glycosylation and phosphorylation sites. Northern blot and RT-PCR analyses revealed the restricted expression of AEP1 to the testis only. In postnatal rat testes, AEP1 mRNA became detectable from postnatal 25 dpp (round spermatids) and onwards. By using in situ hybridization (ISH) and flow cytometry-fluorescent ISH, only the haploid spermatids yielded the positive AEP1 signal. Immunohistochemistry showed that AEP1 was expressed in the acrosomal cap of late-staged germ cells in rat testis, and co-localized with the acrosomal marker, peanut agglutinin. The spatial expression of AEP1 immunoreactivity in testis was conserved among diverse mammalian species (rat, pig, monkey, human). To further study its roles in spermatogenesis, we showed AEP1 and beta-actin was associated together in complex by co-immunoprecipitation in adult germ cells and by immunofluorescence assay in isolated spermatozoon. In human testes diagnosed with hypospermatogenesis, lower expression of AEP1 was observed, whereas there was no detectable signal in undescended testes. In short, AEP1 is an evolutionary-conserved acrosome-specific gene and likely functions in acrosome-cap formation.

Acrosome↗

Proteomic characterization of the cytotoxic mechanism of gold (III) porphyrin 1a, a potential anticancer drug.

There has been increasing interest in the potential applications of gold (III) complexes as anticancer drugs with higher cytotoxicity and fewer side effects than existing metal anticancer drugs. Our previous findings demonstrated that gold (III) porphyrin 1a preferentially induced apoptosis in a cancer cell line (SUNE1). In this study, we identified differentially expressed proteins related to the drug's cytotoxic action by comparing the protein alterations induced by gold (III) porphyrin 1a and cisplatin treatments. Several clusters of altered proteins were identified, including cellular structure and stress-related chaperone proteins, proteins involved in reactive oxygen species and enzyme proteins, translation factors, proteins that mediate cell proliferation or differentiation, and proteins participating in the internal degradation systems. Our results indicated that multiple factors leading to apoptosis were involved in drug cytotoxicity in SUNE1 cells. The balance between pro-apoptotic and anti-apoptotic signals determined the final fate of cancer cells.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

Proteomic profiling of hepatocellular carcinoma in Chinese cohort reveals heat-shock proteins (Hsp27, Hsp70, GRP78) up-regulation and their associated prognostic values.

To facilitate the identification of candidate molecular biomarkers that are linked to the pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), we investigated protein-expression profiles of 146 tissue specimens including 67 pairs of tumors and adjacent non-tumors resected from HCC patients as well as 12 normal livers by 2-DE. Among the 1800 spots displayed in the liver proteome, a total of 90 protein species were found to be significantly different between the three groups (P < 0.05). Three of the top candidate markers up-regulated in HCC, with high receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, were identified by MS/MS analysis and belonged to the chaperone members: heat-shock protein (Hsp)27, Hsp70 and glucose-regulated protein (GRP)78. Over-expression of these chaperone proteins in HCC tissues was confirmed by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. In correlation with clinico-pathological parameters, expression of Hsp27 was linked to alpha-fetoprotein level (P = 0.007) whereas up-regulation of GRP78 was associated with tumor venous infiltration (P = 0.035). No significant association of Hsp70 with any pathologic features was observed. The present HCC proteome analysis revealed that in response to the stressful cancerous microenvironment, tumor cells strived to increase the expression of chaperone proteins for cyto-protective function and to enhance tumor growth and metastasis.

Adolescent↗

Proteomic approach to study the cytotoxicity of dioscin (saponin).

Dioscin, extracted from the root of Polygonatum zanlanscianense pamp, exhibits cytotoxicity towards human myeloblast leukemia HL-60 cells. Proteomic analysis revealed that the expression of mitochondrial associated proteins was substantially altered in HL-60 cells corresponding to the dioscin treatment, suggesting that mitochondria are the major cellular target of dioscin. Mitochondrial functional studies validated that mitochondrial apoptotic pathway was initiated by dioscin treatment. Changes in proteome other than mitochondrial related proteins implicate that other mechanisms were also involved in dioscin-induced apoptosis in HL-60 cells, including the activity impairment in protein synthesis, alterations of phosphatases in cell signaling, and deregulation of oxidative stress and cell proliferation. Current study of protein alterations in dioscin-treated HL-60 cells suggested that dioscin exerts cytotoxicity through multiple apoptosis-inducing pathways.

Apoptosis↗

Analytical application of acetate anion in negative electrospray ionization mass spectrometry for the analysis of triterpenoid saponins--ginsenosides.

Ginsenosides containing different numbers of glycosyl groups can be easily differentiated based on the formation of characteristic ginsenoside-acetate adduct anions and deprotonated ginsenosides generated by electrospray ionization (ESI) of methanolic solutions of ginsenosides (M) and ammonium acetate (NH4OAc). Ginsenosides containing two glycosyl groups gave a characteristic mass spectral pattern consisting of [M+2OAc]2-, [M-H+OAc]2- and [M-2H]2- ions with m/z values differing by 30 Th, while this mass spectral pattern was not observed for ginsenosides containing one glycosyl group. Formation of [M+2OAc]2- was influenced by the chain length of glycosyl groups and was used to differentiate the ginsenosides containing different combinations of monosaccharide and disaccharide units in the glycosyl groups. Under identical collisional activation conditions, [M+OAc]-, [M-H+OAc]2- and [M+2OAc]2- underwent proton abstractions predominantly to generate [M-H]-, [M-2H]2- and [M-H+OAc]2- ions, respectively. The ion intensity ratios, I[M-H](-/I) [M+OAc]-, I[M-2H](2-/I) [M-H+2OAc]2- and I[M-H+OAc](2-/I) [M+OAc]2-, being sensitive to the structural differences of ginsenosides, could differentiate the isomeric ginsenosides, including (i) Rf, F11 and Rg1, (ii) Rd and Re, and (iii) Rb2 and Rc. Additionally, NH4OAc was found to enhance the sensitivity of detection of ginsenosides in the form of [M-H]- down to the femtomole level.

Acetates↗

Proteomic analysis of the mode of antibacterial action of silver nanoparticles.

Silver nanoparticles (nano-Ag) are potent and broad-spectrum antimicrobial agents. In this study, spherical nano-Ag (average diameter = 9.3 nm) particles were synthesized using a borohydride reduction method and the mode of their antibacterial action against E. coli was investigated by proteomic approaches (2-DE and MS identification), conducted in parallel to analyses involving solutions of Ag(+) ions. The proteomic data revealed that a short exposure of E. coli cells to antibacterial concentrations of nano-Ag resulted in an accumulation of envelope protein precursors, indicative of the dissipation of proton motive force. Consistent with these proteomic findings, nano-Ag were shown to destabilize the outer membrane, collapse the plasma membrane potential and deplete the levels of intracellular ATP. The mode of action of nano-Ag was also found to be similar to that of Ag(+) ions (e.g., Dibrov, P. et al, Antimicrob. Agents Chemother. 2002, 46, 2668-2670); however, the effective concentrations of nano-Ag and Ag(+) ions were at nanomolar and micromolar levels, respectively. Nano-Ag appear to be an efficient physicochemical system conferring antimicrobial silver activities.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

Aryl iodide mediated aziridination of alkenes.

[reaction: see text] Aryl iodide mediated aziridination of a variety of alkenes with N-aminophthalimide under mild conditions (m-CPBA, K2CO3, CH2Cl2, 25 degrees C) was achieved in moderate to good yields (up to 94%). By recovering the aryl iodide, a recyclable system is developed with product yield over 79% attained for the aziridination of trans-1,2-diphenylethylene.

Journal Article↗

GoldIII porphyrin 1a induced apoptosis by mitochondrial death pathways related to reactive oxygen species.

Apoptosis is a tightly controlled multistep mechanism of cell death, and mitochondria are considered to play a central role in this process. Mitochondria initiate two distinct apoptosis pathways, one caspase-dependent and the other caspase-independent. In addition, mitochondrial production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) seems to play a role in cell death. Most chemotherapeutic agents induce apoptosis through at least one of these pathways. The post-initiation mechanisms of gold(III) porphyrin 1a were investigated in this study. HONE1 cells exposed to gold(III) porphyrin 1a underwent apoptosis after 24 hours. Functional proteomic studies revealed the alteration of several cytoplasmic protein expressions in HONE1 cells after treatment with the drug. These proteins include enzymes participating in energy production and proteins involved in cellular redox balance. There was a quick attenuation of mitochondrial membrane potential (DeltaPsi(m)) with the alterations of Bcl-2 family proteins, the release of cytochrome c, and apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) following gold(III) porphyrin 1a treatment. Cytochrome c in turn activated caspase-9 and caspase-3. Cotreatment with caspase inhibitor (zVAD-fmk) showed that the activated caspases worked in conjunction with AIF-initiated apoptosis pathways. Further study showed that ROS played a part in gold(III) porphyrin 1a-induced apoptosis by regulating DeltaPsi(m). In summary, gold(III) porphyrin 1a induced apoptosis through both caspase-dependent and caspase-independent mitochondrial pathways, and intracellular oxidation affected gold(III) porphyrin 1a-induced apoptosis. These results support a role for gold(III) porphyrin 1a as a promising anticancer drug lead and as a possible novel therapeutic agent directed toward the mitochondria.

Apoptosis↗

Imido transfer from bis(imido)ruthenium(VI) porphyrins to hydrocarbons: effect of imido substituents, C-H bond dissociation energies, and Ru(VI/V) reduction potentials.

[Ru(VI)(TMP)(NSO2R)2] (SO2R = Ms, Ts, Bs, Cs, Ns; R = p-C6H4OMe, p-C6H4Me, C6H5, p-C6H4Cl, p-C6H4NO2, respectively) and [Ru(VI)(Por)(NTs)2] (Por = 2,6-Cl2TPP, F20-TPP) were prepared by the reactions of [Ru(II)(Por)(CO)] with PhI=NSO2R in CH2Cl2. These complexes exhibit reversible Ru(VI/V) couple with E(1/2) = -0.41 to -0.12 V vs Cp2Fe(+/0) and undergo imido transfer reactions with styrenes, norbornene, cis-cyclooctene, indene, ethylbenzenes, cumene, 9,10-dihydroanthracene, xanthene, cyclohexene, toluene, and tetrahydrofuran to afford aziridines or amides in up to 85% yields. The second-order rate constants (k2) of the aziridination/amidation reactions at 298 K were determined to be (2.6 +/- 0.1) x 10(-5) to 14.4 +/- 0.6 dm3 mol(-1) s(-1), which generally increase with increasing Ru(VI/V) reduction potential of the imido complexes and decreasing C-H bond dissociation energy (BDE) of the hydrocarbons. A linear correlation was observed between log k' (k' is the k2 value divided by the number of reactive hydrogens) and BDE and between log k2 and E(1/2)(Ru(VI/V)); the linearity in the former case supports a H-atom abstraction mechanism. The amidation by [Ru(VI)(TMP)(NNs)2] reverses the thermodynamic reactivity order cumene > ethylbenzene/toluene, with k'(tertiary C-H)/k'(secondary C-H) = 0.2 and k'(tertiary C-H)/k'(primary C-H) = 0.8.

Journal Article↗

Asymmetric synthesis of multifunctionalized pyrrolines by a ruthenium porphyrin-catalyzed three-component coupling reaction.

[reaction: see text] Chiral multifunctionalized pyrrolines have been synthesized by a ruthenium porphyrin catalyzed three-component coupling reaction. In a one-pot reaction, ruthenium porphyrins catalyzed in situ generation of chiral azomethine ylides from chiral diazo esters and imines. Asymmetric 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reactions of the chiral azomethine ylides with dipolarophiles afforded the corresponding pyrrolines in good yields and high diastereoselectivity (up to 92% de).

Journal Article↗

Hydrocarbon oxidation by beta-halogenated dioxoruthenium(VI) porphyrin complexes: effect of reduction potential (RuVI/V) and C-H bond-dissociation energy on rate constants.

beta-Halogenated dioxoruthenium(VI) porphyrin complexes [Ru(VI)(F(28)-tpp)O(2)] [F(28)-tpp=2,3,7,8,12,13, 17,18-octafluoro-5,10,15,20-tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)porphyrinato(2-)] and [Ru(VI)(beta-Br(8)-tmp)O(2)] [beta-Br(8)-tmp=2,3,7,8,12,13,17,18-octabromo-5,10,15,20- tetrakis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)porphyrinato(2-)] were prepared from reactions of [Ru(II)(por)(CO)] [por=porphyrinato(2-)] with m-chloroperoxybenzoic acid in CH(2)Cl(2). Reactions of [Ru(VI)(por)O(2)] with excess PPh(3) in CH(2)Cl(2) gave [Ru(II)(F(20)-tpp)(PPh(3))(2)] [F(20)-tpp=5,10,15,20-tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)porphyrinato(2-)] and [Ru(II)(F(28)-tpp)(PPh(3))(2)]. The structures of [Ru(II)(por)(CO)(H(2)O)] and [Ru(II)(por)(PPh(3))(2)] (por=F(20)-tpp, F(28)-tpp) were determined by X-ray crystallography, revealing the effect of beta-fluorination of the porphyrin ligand on the coordination of axial ligands to ruthenium atom. The X-ray crystal structure of [Ru(VI)(F(20)-tpp)O(2)] shows a Ru=O bond length of 1.718(3) A. Electrochemical reduction of [Ru(VI)(por)O(2)] (Ru(VI) to Ru(V)) is irreversible or quasi-reversible, with the E(p,c)(Ru(VI/V)) spanning -0.31 to -1.15 V versus Cp(2)Fe(+/0). Kinetic studies were performed for the reactions of various [Ru(VI)(por)O(2)], including [Ru(VI)(F(28)-tpp)O(2)] and [Ru(VI)(beta-Br(8)-tmp)O(2)], with para-substituted styrenes p-X-C(6)H(4)CH=CH(2) (X=H, F, Cl, Me, MeO), cis- and trans-beta-methylstyrene, cyclohexene, norbornene, ethylbenzene, cumene, 9,10-dihydroanthracene, xanthene, and fluorene. The second-order rate constants (k(2)) obtained for the hydrocarbon oxidations by [Ru(VI)(F(28)-tpp)O(2)] are up to 28-fold larger than by [Ru(VI)(F(20)-tpp)O(2)]. Dual-parameter Hammett correlation implies that the styrene oxidation by [Ru(VI)(F(28)-tpp)O(2)] should involve rate-limiting generation of a benzylic radical intermediate, and the spin delocalization effect is more important than the polar effect. The k(2) values for the oxidation of styrene and ethylbenzene by [Ru(VI)(por)O(2)] increase with E(p,c)(Ru(VI/V)), and there is a linear correlation between log k(2) and E(p,c)(Ru(VI/V)). The small slope (approximately 2 V(-1)) of the log k(2) versus E(p,c)(Ru(VI/V)) plot suggests that the extent of charge transfer is small in the rate-determining step of the hydrocarbon oxidations. The rate constants correlate well with the C-H bond dissociation energies, in favor of a hydrogen-atom abstraction mechanism.

Crystallography, X-Ray↗

Alkene cis-dihydroxylation by [(Me3tacn)(CF3CO2)RuVI O2)]ClO4(Me(3)tacn = 1,4,7-Trimethyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane): structural characterization of [3 + 2] cycloadducts and kinetic studies.

cis-Dioxoruthenium(VI) complex [(Me(3)tacn)(CF(3)CO(2))Ru(VI)O(2)]ClO(4) (1, Me(3)tacn = 1,4,7-trimethyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononane) reacted with alkenes in aqueous tert-butyl alcohol to afford cis-1,2-diols in excellent yields under ambient conditions. When the reactions of 1 with alkenes were conducted in acetonitrile, oxidative C=C cleavage reaction prevailed giving carbonyl products in >90% yields without any cis-diol formation. The alkene cis-dihydroxylation and C=C cleavage reactions proceed via the formation of a [3 + 2] cycloadduct between 1 and alkenes, analogous to the related reactions with alkynes [Che et al. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2000, 122, 11380]. With cyclooctene and trans-beta-methylstyrene as substrates, the Ru(III) cycloadducts (4a) and (4b) [formula; see text] were isolated and structurally characterized by X-ray crystal analyses. The kinetics of the reactions of 1 with a series of p-substituted styrenes has been studied in acetonitrile by stopped-flow spectrophotometry. The second-order rate constants varied by 14-fold despite an overall span of 1.3 V for the one-electron oxidation potentials of alkenes. Secondary kinetic isotope effect (KIE) was observed for the oxidation of beta-d(2)-styrene (k(H)/k(D) = 0.83 +/- 0.04) and alpha-deuteriostyrene (k(H)/k(D) = 0.96 +/- 0.03), which, together with the stereoselectivity of cis-alkene oxidation by 1, is in favor of a concerted mechanism.

Alkenes↗

Probing ruthenium-acetylide bonding interactions: synthesis, electrochemistry, and spectroscopic studies of acetylide-ruthenium complexes supported by tetradentate macrocyclic amine and diphosphine ligands.

The synthesis and spectroscopic properties of trans-[RuL4(C[triple bond]CAr)2] (L4 = two 1,2-bis(dimethylphosphino)ethane, (dmpe)2; 1,5,9,13-tetramethyl-1,5,9,13-tetraazacyclohexadecane, 16-TMC; 1,12-dimethyl-3,4:9,10-dibenzo-1,12-diaza-5,8-dioxacyclopentadecane, N2O2) are described. Investigations into the effects of varying the [RuL4] core, acetylide ligands, and acetylide chain length for the [(-)C[triple bond]C(C6H4C[triple bond]C)(n-1)Ph] and [(-)C[triple bond]C(C6H4)(n-1)Ph] (n = 1-3) series upon the electronic and electrochemical characteristics of trans-[RuL4(C[triple bond]CAr)2](0/+) are presented. DFT and TD-DFT calculations have been performed on trans-[Ru(L')4(C[triple bond]CAr)2](0/+) (L' = PH3 and NH3) to examine the metal-acetylide pi-interaction and the nature of the associated electronic transition(s). It was observed that (1) the relationship between the transition energy and 1/n for trans-[Ru(dmpe)2{C[triple bond]C(C6H4C[triple bond]C)(n-1)Ph}2] (n = 1-3) is linear, and (2) the sum of the d(pi)(Ru(II)) --> pi*(C[triple bond]CAr) MLCT energy for trans-[Ru(16-TMC or N2O2)(C[triple bond]CAr)2] and the pi(C[triple bond]CAr) --> d(pi)(Ru(III)) LMCT energy for trans-[Ru(16-TMC or N2O2)(C[triple bond]CAr)2]+ corresponds to the intraligand pi pi* absorption energy for trans-[Ru(16-TMC or N2O2)(C[triple bond]CAr)2]. The crystal structure of trans-[Ru(dmpe)2{C[triple bond]C(C6H4C[triple bond]C)2Ph}2] shows that the two edges of the molecule are separated by 41.7 A. The electrochemical and spectroscopic properties of these complexes can be systematically tuned by modifying L4 and Ar to give E(1/2) values for oxidation of trans-[RuL4(C[triple bond]CAr)2] that span over 870 mV and lambda(max) values of trans-[RuL4(C[triple bond]CAr)2] that range from 19,230 to 31,750 cm(-1). The overall experimental findings suggest that the pi-back-bonding interaction in trans-[RuL4(C[triple bond]CAr)2] is weak and the [RuL4] moiety in these molecules may be considered to be playing a "dopant" role in a linear rigid pi-conjugated rod.

Alkynes↗