Hydrolytic properties of per (3,6-anhydro, 2-O-carboxymethyl) alpha cyclodextrin complexes of Ce (III) and Eu (III): application to soman (GD) degradation.

Per (3,6-anhydro-2-O-carboxymethyle) alpha-cyclodextrin ([ACX]) is a polydentate analog of EDTA, a well-known cation chelating reagent. ACX exhibits strong affinities in vitro for uranyl, cobalt and also for lanthanids such as Europium and Cerium. The hydrolytic activities of ACX-Eu and ACX-Ce complex were directly tested on an organophosphorous compound: the neurotoxic Soman (GD), an inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase (ACHE from rat brain). It was found a three fold reduction of soman activity when measured in the presence of Ce-ACX complex. Conversely, Eu-ACX effect did not result in soman inhibition variation under physiological conditions. It is suggested that, considering usual organometallic complex of cyclodextrin, such direct complexes would be of interest in the design of pseudo-enzyme systems for phosphoester hydrolysis.