Anthraquinone-Based Bioconjugates

Anthraquinone-Based Bioconjugates

Jerry Falwell Library, Lower Esbenshade Atrium

Anthraquione-based compounds find applications in a wide variety of areas, including anti-cancer drugs, dyes, chemosensors, DNA-binding agents and fluorescent molecules. Different chemical approaches can be taken to structurally modify the basic anthraquinone molecule into a suitable compound that might serve as a potential candidate in any of those given areas. For our project, three commercially available chloro-derivatives of anthraquinone are modified in such a way that they now bear additional acid groups. These acid groups allow for a variety of subsequent chemistries and the synthesis of new anthraquinone-based compounds. One goal of our research is to chemically link these anthraquinones via their newly introduced acid groups to known small biomolecules to result in so-called bioconjugates. Once synthesized, we aim at testing the interaction of these bioconjugates with DNA and other cellular components.