Metal-containing polymers biological activities

The biocidal properties of most metal-containing polymers have not been studied in detail. The biological activity of organotin polymers and copolymers to various fungi and microorganisms has been found only recently. 

For metal-containing polymers it is important to understand also their molecular arrangements primary structure (composition of a MMC) secondary structure (steric orientation of a MMC unit) tertiary structure (orientation of the whole MMC) quarternary structure (interaction of different MMCs). The more detailed knowledge about biological macromolecular metal complexes led in the recent years to an intensified research. The activities in this field are parts of lUPAC conferences on Macromolecule-Metal Complexes (MMC I-VII [2]), and are summarized in some monographs and several reviews [3 5]. 

We recently have been emphasizing the use of renewable resource materials as feed stocks for the production of non-petroleum based polymers containing metals. While the biological activities of some of these products has been reported, emphasis has generally been placed on the synthetic and structural characterization. Here the focus will be placed on the biological activities of some of these products, specifically those derived from monomeric and polymeric carbohydrates. 

Coordination polymers are one of the earliest developed classes of metal-containing polymers. They continue to attract a great deal of attention because of their widespread applications. Coordination complexes of platinum, for example, were prepared as potential biologically active agents by the reaction of K2PtCl4 with pyrimidines, purines, hydrazines, and diamines. Polymer 1, for example, represses the rephcation of poliovirus I and l-RNA virus at a 10-20- ig/mL level. 

These materials are well-known from their active and selective function in biological matter. The increasing knowledge about natural metal-containing macromolecules stimulates chemists to synthesize artificial systems. The newly developed materials can exhibit imusual properties for new apphcations due to the introduction of metals in polymers. Therefore chemists, physicists, biologists, physicians, and engineers are involved in this interdisciplinaric subject where a macromolecule and a metal atom are combined in one material. 

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