Synthesis and iron(III) binding properties of 3-hydroxypyrid-4-ones derived from kojic acid.

In an attempt to reduce the toxicity of the 3-hydroxypyrid-4-ones, the more hydrophilic derivatives of kojic acid were explored and compared to the standard, 1,2-dimethyl-3-hydroxypyrid-4-one, L1. The synthesis and iron(III) binding properties of these chelators are described. Neither these compounds nor the clinically effective 1,2-dimethyl-3-hydroxypyrid-4 one is able to completely remove all of the iron(III) from the Fe(III)EDTA complex in sodium acetate buffered solutions, when the 3-hydroxypyrid-4-one: Fe(III) ratio is 6:1. The ability of these compounds to enhance the urinary excretion of iron in rats indicates that the behavior of the 3-hydroxypyrid-4-ones derived from kojic acid is comparable to the analogous derivatives of maltol and ethyl maltol. The structure of the iron(III) complex of 3-hydroxy-6-hydroxymethyl-1-methylpyrid-4-one was determined by x-ray diffraction and found to be similar to the previously reported structure of the iron(III) complex of L1.