Cycle/Years
39^th cycle [2023-2026]

Contacts
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Supervisors
Prof. Gennaro Pescitelli and Prof. Gaetano Angelici

Title of the PhD project
Synthesis, characterization and biological applications of chiral peptoid-based metal chelators

Abstract of the PhD project
Chelation therapy usually refers to the administration of a chemical agent to remove toxic exogenoeus metals from the body, but it is also used to reduce levels of essential metals in cases of overload disorders that are linked to various pathologies. To date, the number of chelators employed is still limited, and many chelators suffer of side effects due to poor selectivity. N-substituted glycine oligomers, called a-peptoids, are a class of synthetic peptidomimetics with intrinsic chelating properties. These modularly designed molecules allow for easy incorporation of a variety of structural elements and functional groups through a simple synthetic process. Several examples of peptoid-based metal ligands containing aromatic chelating units indicate the potential application of peptoids as metal chelators. My project aims at the synthesis of selective chiral oligopeptoid chelators derived from natural amino acids that are promising biocompatible molecules. The primary objective is to develop a solution and solid-phase synthetic strategy for the synthesis of a library of peptoid-based chelators through a combinatorial approach. Then, the most efficient and selective metal/chelate pairs will undergo qualitative and quantitative in-depth characterization using multiple spectroscopic techniques, such as NMR analysis, chiroptical analysis and ITC analysis to determinate stoichiometries and association constants.

Academic Fields and Disciplines (SSD), main and secondary
CHIM06

Poster communications at conferences
• “Modular and convergent synthesis of a new class of amphiphilic molecules for the formation of self-assembled materials”, L. Dei, S. Di Pietro, V. Di Bussolo, G. Angelici. COST Chemobrionics Pisa Annual Meeting 2022, Polo Didattico delle Piagge, Pisa, 5–7 Sep 2022.