When complexed with copper, it possesses nuclease activity that has been used to study DNA-protein interactions.
1,10-Phenanthroline monohydrate is an aromatic nitrogen heterocycle that may be used as a chelating agent in the preparation of metal-chelate complexes.
1,10-Phenanthroline monohydrate is useful to study the DNA-protein interactions due to its nuclease activity. It is used as a redox indicator and reagent for spectrophotometric assay of silver. It acts as a chelating ligand for the determination of Fe, Pd and V. It also acts as a matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor. It is a photometric reagent for iron, which forms a red chelate with ferrous (iron II) ion.
White crystalline powder or solid. Slight odor.
1,10-Phenanthroline hydrate is incompatible with strong oxidizers. 1,10-Phenanthroline hydrate is also incompatible with strong acids. 1,10-Phenanthroline hydrate forms complex compounds with ferrous ions. .
Flash point data for 1,10-Phenanthroline hydrate are not available. 1,10-Phenanthroline hydrate is probably combustible.
Metalloprotease inhibitor; chelates iron, zinc and other divalent metals. Effective concentration 1-10 mM.
Crystallise its picrate (m 191o) from EtOH; then the free base is liberated with aqueous alkali, dried at 78o/8mm over P2O5 and crystallised from pet ether (b 80-100o). [Cumper et al. J Chem Soc 1188 1962.] It can be purified by zone melting. It has also been crystallised from hexane, *benzene/pet ether (b 40-60o) or sodium-dried *benzene, dried and stored over H2SO4. The monohydrate is obtained by crystallisation from aqueous EtOH or ethyl acetate. It has been crystallised from H2O (300 parts) to give the monohydrate m 102-103o which sublimes at 10-3mm [Fielding & LeFevre J Chem Soc 1811 1951.] The anhydrous compound has m 118o (after drying at high vacuum at 80o) and is also obtained by recrystallisation from pet ether or *C6H6 (70 parts) and drying at 78o/8mm. [UV: Badger et al. J Chem Soc 3199 1951.] IthasapKainH2Oof 4.857 (25o) or 5.02 (20o) and 4.27 in 50% aqueous EtOH (20o). [Albert et al. J Chem Soc 2240 1948]. [Beilstein 23 H 227, 23 II 235, 23/8 V 419.]
