Activation of Carbon monoxide Molecules:

Carbon monoxide is one of the most important and useful ligands in synthetic inorganic
chemistry, and its complexes with transition metals have been the subject of extensive research
because of their interesting structures and chemical bonding, the many and varied reactions
which they undergo, and their important applications to synthesis.

The carbonyls selected as examples for this review of carbon monoxide exchange reactions are
Mn(CO)5X (X = halogen); RCo(CO)4 (R = alkyl or aryl); Co2(CO)8, Ni(CO)4, and Fe(CO)5.
These carbonyls may be considered as complexes of carbon monoxide where each carbonyl
group donates a pair of electrons to the central metal ion with back bonding from the metal ion
to carbon monoxide. These donor groups may be replaced by other donors capable of forming
bonds (as acceptors) with the central metal ion, such as nitric oxide, tertiary phosphines,
arsines, stibines, and cyanide ion.

Carbon monoxide releasing molecules (CO-RMs):

Carbon monoxide releasing molecules are a class of organometallo compounds capable of

delivering controlled quantities of CO gas to cells and tissues thus exerting a broad spectrum of
pharmacological effects. CO-RMs containing transition metal carbonyls were initially
implemented to mimic the function of heme oxygenase-1 (HMOX1), a stress inducible defensive
protein that degrades heme to CO and biliverdin leading to anti-oxidant and inflammatory
actions.

The presence of carbonyl groups bound to transition metals like Ruthenium, Iron or Manganese
appears to make CO-RMs unique in their ability to transfer Co intracellularly and amplify the
mechanisms of signal transduction mediated by CO molecule.

Carbon Monoxide detection in live cells:

The sensing of small molecular messengers such as carbon monoxide (CO) using
electrochemical cells or semiconducting metal oxides has led to inexpensive alarms for the home
and workplace. It is now recognized that chronic exposure to low levels of CO also poses a
significant health risk. It is perhaps surprising therefore that the CO is used in cell-signaling
pathways and plays a growing role in therapy. However, the selective monitoring of low levels
of CO remains challenging, and it is this area that has benefited from the development of probes
which give a color or fluorescence response. There are advancements regarding CO detection
possibilities that are mainly as chromo fluorogenic probes (Chromogenic CO sensors) in air,
liquid solutions and a new type of uorescent probe for selective CO detection based on
palladium-mediated carbonylation reactivity. CO Probe 1 (COP-1) is capable of detecting CO
both in aqueous buer and in live cells with high selectivity over a range of biologically relevant
reactive small molecules, providing a potentially powerful approach for interrogating its
chemistry in biological systems.