Prof. Pedro M. P. Gois "Boronic Acids: A Useful Functional Platform for Chemical Biology"

Prof. Pedro Gois heads the Bioorganic group at the University of Lisbon - Faculty of Pharmacy. He studied chemistry at the New University of Lisbon, from where he also received his PhD in organic chemistry. After a postdoctoral period abroad, he returned to Portugal and obtained his Habilitation, receiving the Vicente Seabra Medal from the Portuguese Chemical Society in 2012. With his group, he is exploring the reversible coordination chemistry of boron centers to assemble functional complexes with suitable properties to interfere with biological processes.

27 January 2025

16h30

ISIS- salle de conférence

Abstract

Boronic acids (BAs) possess a rich and dynamic coordination chemistry, often characterized by the interconversion of the central boron atom between an uncharged trigonal planar structure and an anionic sp³-hybridized borate species. This versatility allows for the judicious selection of ligands to construct a wide array of boron complexes (Bcomplexes) with unique molecular architectures and diverse properties. The stability of boron-based reversible covalent bonds is highly influenced by factors such as pH and the concentration of endogenous molecules like carbohydrates and glutathione. Additionally, aromatic boronic acids are well-known to undergo rapid oxidation to phenols in the presence of reactive oxygen species. This distinctive reactivity profile provides an additional layer of utility for BAs, enabling the design of materials that incorporate mechanisms to respond to specific chemical stimuli. Such responsiveness is particularly valuable in the discovery and development of new drugs for complex diseases, including cancer, neurodegeneration, and inflammation, which are often characterized by these chemical triggers as key molecular hallmarks. This presentation will focus on the use of boronic acids in the synthesis of Bcomplexes, highlighting their potential as well-defined, stimuli-responsive molecular platform

Acknowledgments

We thank FCT grants: PTDC/QUI-OUT/3989/2021 (P.G.); institutional grants UIDB/04138/2020 and UIDP/04138/2020 (iMed).