# Synthesis and characterization of gold(I) thiolate derivatives and bimetallic complexes for HIV inhibition

## TL;DR

This study creates and tests new gold-based compounds that may inhibit HIV protease, offering potential new treatments for HIV/AIDS.

## Contribution

The paper introduces novel gold(I) thiolate and bimetallic complexes with potential HIV protease inhibitory activity.

## Key findings

- Three metal complexes showed strong binding affinity to HIV protease residues.
- The compounds inhibited the flexibility of the HIV protease flap regions.
- The results suggest potential for developing new HIV/AIDS therapeutic agents.

## Abstract

Introduction: The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) remains a significant global health concern, with a reported high infection rate of 38.4 million cases globally; an estimated 2 million new infections and approximately 700,000 HIV/AIDS-related deaths were reported in 2021. Despite the advent of anti-retroviral therapy (ART), HIV/AIDS persists as a chronic disease. To combat this, several studies focus on developing inhibitors targeting various stages of the HIV infection cycle, including HIV-1 protease. This study aims to synthesize and characterize novel glyco diphenylphosphino metal complexes with potential HIV inhibitory properties.

Method: A series of new gold(I) thiolate derivatives and three bimetallic complexes, incorporating amino phosphines and thiocarbohydrate as auxiliary ligands, were synthesized using procedures described by Jiang, et al. (2009) and
Coetzee et al. (2007). Structural elucidation and purity assessment of the synthesized compounds (1–11) were conducted using micro-analysis, NMR, and infrared spectrometry.

Results and Discussion: Using molecular modeling techniques, three of the metal complexes were identified as potential HIV protease inhibitors, exhibiting strong binding affinity interactions with binding pocket residues. These inhibitors demonstrated an ability to inhibit the flexibility of the flap regions of the HIV protease, similar to the known HIV protease inhibitor, darunavir. This study sheds light on the promising avenues for the development of novel therapeutic agents against HIV/AIDS.