The Department of Inorganic Chemistry guarantees the studies in the fields of Inorganic Chemistry, Bioinorganic Chemistry, and Chemistry for Teaching in bachelor's, master's and doctoral study programmes.
As a part of our research, we focus on the preparation and study of new coordination compounds of transition metals, in particular, on the development of new compounds with medicinal application potential (e.g. substances with antitumour, anti-inflammatory or antidiabetic activity or contrast agents for diagnostic imaging methods) or compounds with interesting magnetic, optical or catalytic properties with industrial application potential (e.g. high-density storage media, various types of sensors).
Our teaching activites, as a guarantor of Chemistry for Teaching studies at the Faculty of Science of Palacký University, are also focused on increasing pupils' and students' interest in science and motivation to study science, co-organizing chemical Olympics and also on extracurricular chemical activities for primary and secondary school students.
News
Publication in Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry
09. September 2024
Publication entitled "Anticancer dinuclear Ir(III) complex activates Nrf2 and interferes with NAD(H) in cancer cells" (authors: E. Řezníčková, O. Bárta, D. Milde, V. Kryštof, P. Štarha) has been published in Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry.
Dinuclear Ir(III) complex 1 exhibits low micromolar cytotoxic activity (GI50 = 1.7–3.0 μM) and outperformed its mononuclear analogue (2; GI50 > 40.0 μM). Compound 1 upregulated the Keap1/Nrf2 oxidative stress-protective pathway in the treated MV4‐11 acute myeloid leukemia cells. In connection with the redox-mediated mode of action of 1, its NADH-oxidizing activity was detected in solution (1H NMR), while NAD+ remained intact (with formate as a hydride source). Following the results of in-solution experiments, NAD(H) concentration was assessed in 1-treated MV4‐11 cancer cells. Besides the intracellular NADH oxidation in the presence of 1, the induced oxidative stress also led to a decrease of NAD+, resulting in depletion of both NAD+/NADH coenzymes. The discussed findings provide new insight into the biochemical effects of catalytic anticancer compounds that induce cell death via a redox-mediated mode of action.
Student Publication in RSC Advances
04. September 2024
Publication entitled „Synthesis, structural and magnetic properties of cobalt(II) complexes with pyridine-based macrocyclic ligand containing two pyridine pendant arms" (authors: E. Zahradníková, C. Pichon, C. Duhayon, J. P. Sutter, P. Halaš, B. Drahoš) has been published in the chemistry journal RSC Advances.
The student publication was focused on the research and tuning of the magnetic anisotropy for a series of cobalt(II) complexes with a 17-membered pyridine macrocyclic ligand with two methylpyridine pendant arms and one coordinated (pseudo)halido-coligand. The work followed the previous research with a structurally similar macrocyclic system where an interesting magnetic behavior was observed within the analogous series. The performed magnetic studies were additionally supported by theoretical CASSCF calculations and a positive value of the axial zero-field splitting parameter D was found for all complexes, and one of the complexes showed behavior typical for compounds referred to as field-induced single-molecule magnets.
