KCS

Iridium(III) complexes are known to have properties to convert triplet dioxygen into singlet dioxygen or superoxide anion upon the treatment with light. These produced reactive oxygen species are shown to oxidize peptides and proteins and further induce their crosslinking. Utilizing such properties, we have applied Ir(III) complexes to modulate the aggregation pathways of amyloidogenic peptides. The aggregated amyloidogenic peptides are found in brains of neurodegenerative disease [e.g., amyloid-β (Aβ) aggregates in the brain of Alzheimer’s disease] and are suggested to be linked to neuropathogenesis. Thus, significant efforts on developing chemical reagents capable of controlling the aggregation of amyloidogenic peptides have been recently made. Herein, we will present the synthesis, characterization, and reactivity of Ir(III) complexes, newly designed for regulating Aβ aggregation based on their photophysical properties. Some mechanistic studies for the anti-amyloidogenic activity of our Ir(III) complexes will also be discussed.