BIOMIMETIC IRON(III) TRISHYDROXAMATE COMPLEXES AND TRIPLE-STRANDED DIFERRIC HELICES

In order to guarantee sufficient iron(III) uptake, microorganisms prod uce iron(III) ligands, termed siderophores. They scavenge the scarcely available iron(III) from the environment and deliver it to the cell v ia a highly specific, active transport process. In this article we des cribe analogs of hydroxamate siderophores with emphasis on Ferrioxamin e derivatives. We present the principles of their design, and synthesi s 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 o f supramolecular arrangements.