Organometallic Bioprobes

In general, bioprobes are defined [1] as follows Bioprobes are functional molecules or devices that provide information about biological systems. They can fimction on a macroscopic, microscopic, or submicroscopic scale (bionanometrology and molecular-scale observation of biological systems). The term bioprobe is used in this chapter, however, to describe molecular structures that can function as probes to provide information about biological systems. These are molecular bioprobes, as distinct, for example, from microelectrodes or other macroscopic 

It is also important to establish that the chemistry of molecular bioprobes is not a sub-discipline of molecular recognition [i.e. host-guest chemistry [4] (Fig. 7.1) in which a guest molecule binds in an artificial receptor site (the host ) which through selective interactions provides the recognition effect] rather, it is an application of molecular recognition. 

Recognition, transduction and response are thus all important for the correct functioning of the bioprobe, but the performance of such designs is normally limited by the selectivity of the receptor. Where similar analytes compete for binding in the receptor, there is often a lack of discriminating power in the sensor, and even at its present advanced stage of development, the optimization of the 

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The metalloenzymes and modeling area is still very open, and it is now clear that certain complexes will play a role in the energy transition that is currently underway. In addition, organometallic bioprobes, connected or not with therag-nosis, represent a vast area needing only to be developed. The lines of force, the promises, and directions of travel in the field are laid out before us here. It is hoped that the reader will envisage others, guided, inspired and stimulated by the work presented in this volume. 

Organometallic Components Ibr Organometallic Bioprobes Opening up the Advantages of IR-based Read-out Methods... 

It can be seen from this discussion that the IR based read-out of information from organometallic bioprobes with carbonyl ligands by analysis of the vibrational band envelopes viewed through the window of the water background spectrum has a number of imusual features. The v(CO) signals are intense and narrow, can... 

Two distinct approaches have been used for the development of organometallic bioprobe structures. The organometallic component can be attached to a small molecule that interacts with a biological receptor system (Fig. 7.13), or directly to a biological macromolecular structure. 

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