Group 14/15: Medicinal Inorganic Chemistry 6

Question 1

What are the Group 14 elements?

Answer 1

1. Carbon (C)
2. Silicon (Si)
3. Germanium (Ge)
4. Tin (Sn)
5. Lead (Pb)

Question 2

What are the Group 15 elements?

Answer 2

1. Nitrogen (N)
2. Phosphorus (P)
3. Arsenic (As)
4. Antimony (Sb)
5. Bismuth (Bi)

Question 3

Describe the nitrogen group chemistry?

Answer 3

1. 5 Electrons in their outer most shell
2. 2 electrons in S sub shell and 3 unpaired electrons in P sub shell
3. Noted for stability in compounds due to their proclivity for double and triple covalent bonds- leads to potential toxicity in phosphorous, arsenic and antimony

Question 4

Describe the use of Arsenic Trioxide?

Answer 4

1. White, water soluble and sweet tasting compound
2. Very poisonous
3. Used ever since as a rat and human poison

Question 5

What is arsenic and atoxyl used for?

Answer 5

1. Treat certain cancers and skin problems

2. Atoxyl are 40 times less toxic than inorganic arsenic compounds

Question 6

Describe Robert Koch involvement in Arsenic?

Answer 6

1. Use of atoxyl is effective against trypanosomiasis or sleeping sickness
2. However, can cause blindness by damaging optic nerve

Question 7

Describe Paul Ehrlich involvement in arsenic?

Answer 7

1. Stained trypanosomes (protozoa for african sleeping sickness) with Trypan Red selective dye
2. Mice infected with trypanosomes cured with Trypan RedD (chemotherapy)

Question 8

Describe Atoxyl’s structure

Answer 8

Primary aromatic amine

Derivative of Panilinyl arsenic acid derivative

Question 9

Describe the use of salvarsan (arsenic derivative) and what it formed later?

Answer 9

1. Used as the first human tests on patients with syphilis and relapsing fever
2. Formed as Neosalvarsan- easier to administer and reduced side effects

Question 10

What is the structure of salvarsan?

Answer 10

Mixture of compounds of 3 to 5 membered arsenic ring compounds (look at lecture slides)

Question 11

Describe the use of Melarsoprol?

Answer 11

1. Highly dangerous treatment administered by injection for Sleeping sickness phase II
2. Similar effects to arsenic poisoning
3. Side effects: convulsions, fever, rashes, bloody stools, loss of consciousness, nausea and vomiting

Question 12

What is arsenic trioxide used for?

Answer 12

For the treatment of chronic myelogenous leukaemia?