Contacts:
Supervisor(s):
Prof. Fabio Marchetti and Dr. Lorenzo Biancalana
Title of the PhD project:
Exploring reactivity pathways on a diiron framework to access new organometallic complexes for aqueous applications.
Abstract of the PhD project:
Sara’s PhD project focuses on the chemistry of diiron complexes based on the [Fe2Cp2] skeleton. The cooperative effects between the two iron centres enable unusual reactivity patterns, offering much scope for the functionalization of bridging hydrocarbyl ligands and leading to a variety of organometallic structures. One of the main goals of Sara’s project is to synthetise new water soluble bis-cationic complexes for potential medicinal and catalytic applications.
Publications:
• Benetti, S., Dalla Pozza, M., Biancalana, L., Zacchini, S., Gasser, G., Marchetti, F., The beneficial effect of cyclohexyl substituent on the in vitro anticancer activity of diiron vinyliminium complexes, Dalton Trans. 2023, 52(17), 5724. DOI: 10.1039/d3dt00186e
• Stocchetti, S., Vančo, J., Bresciani, G., Biancalana, L., Belza, J., Zacchini, S., Dvořák, Z., Benetti, S., Biver, T., Bortoluzzi, M., Trávníček, Z., Marchetti, F., Anticancer diiron aminocarbyne complexes with labile N-donor ligands, Eur. J. Med. Chem. 2025, 286, 117304.
DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2025.117304
• Benetti, S., Nottoli, T., Xiao, Z., Funaioli, T., Zacchini, S., Gasser, G., Lipparini, F., Marchetti, F., Multicomponent Synthesis on a Diiron Platform of Stable Ferrabenzenes with Promising Anticancer Activity, Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2025, e202510795. DOI: 10.1002/anie.202510795
Oral communications at conferences
• S. Benetti, M. Dalla Pozza, Z. Xiao, L. Biancalana, T. Funaioli, S. Zacchini, G. Gasser, F. Marchetti, “From the Synthesis to the Anticancer activity of Diiron Vinyliminium Complexes and their Derivatives”, International Symposium on Bioorganometallic Chemistry – ISBOMC25, Paris, 26-29 June 2025, Short Lecture.
• S. Benetti, T. Nottoli, F. Lipparini, T. Funaioli, S. Zacchini, Z. Xiao, G. Gasser, L. Biancalana, F. Marchetti, “ Exploring reactivity pathways to access new organodiiron complexes for aqueous applications ”, Chemistry for the Future 2025, Pisa, 7-9 July 2025, Keynote Lecture.
• S. Benetti, M. Dalla Pozza, L. Biancalana, S. Zacchini, G. Gasser, P. Dyson, F. Marchetti, “Anticancer Potential of Diiron Bis-Cyclopentadienyl Complexes”, AMYC-BIOMED2025, Palermo, 23-25 June 2025, Oral Slam presentation.
Poster communications at conferences:
• S. Benetti, L. Biancalana, S. Zacchini, T. Funaioli, Z. Xiao, G. Gasser, F. Marchetti, “Ferrabenzenes from Diiron Carbonyl Precursors”, 9th EuChemS Chemistry Congress, Dublin, 7-11 July 2024, poster contribution.
• S. Benetti, T. Nottoli, Z. Xiao, L. Biancalana, T. Funaioli, S. Zacchini, G. Gasser, F. Lipparini, F. Marchetti, .“A New Class of Ferrabenzenes”, Chemistry for the Future 2024, Pisa, 3-5 July 2024, poster contribution.
• S. Benetti, M. Dalla Pozza, L. Biancalana, S. Zacchini, G. Gasser, F. Marchetti.“The Beneficial Effect of Cyclohexyl Substituent on the In Vitro Anticancer Activity of Diiron Vinyliminium Complexes”, XLIX Congresso Nazionale di Chimica Inorganica, Perugia, 12-15 September 2023, poster contribution.
• S. Benetti, L. Biancalana, F. Marchetti, G. Pampaloni, S. Zacchini. “A New Class of Ferrabenzenes Obtained from Diiron precursors “, XIV International School of Organometallic Chemistry 2023, Camerino, 7-11 September 2023, poster and flash presentation.
• S. Benetti, L. Biancalana, M. Bortoluzzi, F. Marchetti, G. Pampaloni, S. Zacchini. “Fe-coordinated Functionalized Ferrabenzenes from Diiron Precursors”, Chemistry for the Future 2023, Pisa, 28-30 June 2023, poster and flash presentation.
Other achievements:
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