Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects
Department
Chemistry
Additional Departmental Affiliation
Biology
Document Type
Thesis
Abstract
There are extremely important uses for platinum when it comes to the treatment of cancers and dementias. One potential therapeutic combines platinum with a structure known as phenanthroline. This platinum phenanthroline structure is normally extremely water-insoluble, rendering it difficult to study and use in biological systems. The Williams’ Biochemistry Laboratory endeavored to find a simpler synthetic pathway for a water-soluble phenanthroline product. While unsuccessful in identifying a product as of yet, many synthetic pathways have been ruled out, and more hypothetical pathways are being formulated for testing.
Among the strategies analyzed are varying solvent, reagents, apparatus, methodology, and temperature in order to coax platinum(II) 1,10-phenanthroline dichloride into solution to promote reaction with more water-soluble compounds. Among potential future hypotheses are the use of harsher solvents and potentially increasing the oxidation state of platinum.
Advisor(s) or Committee Chair
Kevin Williams, Ph.D.
Disciplines
Biochemistry | Biology | Chemistry
Recommended Citation
Young, Jacob, "Synthetic Pathways for Potential Platinum 1,10-Phenanthroline Compounds" (2021). Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects. Paper 946.
https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/stu_hon_theses/946