Maria Contel
Associate Professor
Chemistry
Location: 355 Ingersoll Hall Extension
Phone: 718.951.5000 x2833
Fax: 718.951.4607
Email:
Maria Contel was a postdoctoral fellow at the Australian National University (1997-99) and at the University of Utrecht (1999-2000). She was a senior researcher (Ramón y Cajal Fellow, the most prestigious fellowship for young investigators in Spain) at the University of Zaragoza before starting as an assistant professor (inorganic chemistry) at Brooklyn College and the CUNY Graduate Center in September 2006. She became an associate professor in 2011. Her research interests lie in the field of inorganic/organometallic chemistry and, more specifically, medicinal chemistry and homogeneous catalysis (green chemistry). She is currently teaching Organic Chemistry and Advanced Inorganic Chemistry courses at Brooklyn College and at the Graduate Center.
Education:
Ph.D., Public University of Navarra (Spain) - 1996 (Chemistry, General)
B.S. / M.S., University of Zaragoza (Spain) - 1993 (Chemical Sciences (Inorganic Chemistry))
Areas of Expertise:
Contel is a synthetic inorganic/organometallic chemist. Her subfields are medicinal chemistry and homogenous catalysis. She synthesizes new gold compounds with potential applications as: a) anticancer and antimicrobial drugs, and b) recoverable homogenous catalysts. She focuses on the study of reaction mechanisms by spectroscopic NMR techniques in order to rationally design more efficient and less toxic catalysts and drugs. She is funded by the National Institutes of Health (2013-17).
Doctoral Rotation Projects:
1) Application of Metal Compounds as Anticancer and Antimicrobial Agents. The long-term goals of this research are: a) the design of metal-anticancer pharmaceuticals that overcome some of the existing clinical problems associated with the use of platinum drugs in cancer chemotherapy, and b) to understand the mechanism of action of metal-derived anticancer pharmaceuticals and identify their final target and the corresponding molecular lesion. 2) Greener Homogeneous Gold Catalysts. Contel's lab is developing gold homogeneous catalysts to be used in different reactions with potential industrial and pharmaceutical applications. They study reaction mechanism by in situ spectroscopic techniques (mainly multinuclear NMR) in order to identify reaction intermediates and the possible catalytically active species. Their second goal is the design of water- and fluorous-soluble gold compounds to be used as recoverable and recyclable catalysts in some of the reactions described above.
Books and Publications
Lease, N., V. Vasileviski, M. Carreira, A. de Almeida, M. Sanaú, P. Hirva, A. Casini and M. Contel. "Potential Anticancer Heterometallic Fe−Au and Fe−Pd Agents: Initial Mechanistic Insights." Journal of Medicinal Chemistry 56: 5806-18. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 2013
Carreira, M. and M. Contel. "Fluorous Hydrosilylation." Topics in Current Chemistry 308: 247-74. Invited chapter to Special Volume on Fluorous Chemistry. Ed. I.T. Horvárth. Published online, September. (Books and Publications: Chapter) 2012
Carreira, M., R. Calvo-Sanjuán, M. Sanaú, I. Marzo and M. Contel. "Organometallic Palladium Complexes With a Water-Soluble Iminophosphorane Ligand as Potential Anticancer Agents." Organometallics 31: 5772-81. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 2012
Carreira, M., R. Calvo-Sanjuán, M. Sanaú, X. Zhao, R. Magliozzo, I. Marzo and M. Contel. "Cytotoxic Hydrophilic Iminophosphorane Coordination Compounds of d8 Metals. Studies of Their Interactions With DNA and HSA." Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry 116: 204-14. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 2012
Frik, M., J. Jimenez, I. Gracia, L.R. Falvello, S. Abi-Habib, K. Suriel, T.R. Muth and M. Contel. "Luminescent Di and Trinuclear Organometallic Gold(I)-M (Au2, Au2Ag and Au2Cu) Compounds Containing Bidentante Phosphanes as Active Antimicrobial Agents." Chemistry - A European Journal 18: 3659-74. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 2012
Roiban, G.-D., T. Soler, M. Contel, I. Grosu, C. Cativiela and E.P. Urriolabeitia. "Reactivity of unsaturated 5(4H)-oxazolones with Hg(II) acetate. Synthesis of methyl N-benzoylamino-3-arylacrylates."Synthetic Communications 42: 195. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 2012
González-Pantoja, J.F., M. Stern, A.A. Jarzecki, E. Royo, E. Robles-Escajeda, A. Varela-Ramirez, R.J. Aguilera and M. Contel. "Titanocene-Phosphine Derivatives as Precursors to Cytotoxic Heterometallic TiAu2 and TiM (M = Pd, Pt) Compounds. Studies of Their Interactions with DNA." Inorganic Chemistry 50: 11099. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 2011
Liu, F., R. Amis, E. Hwang, A. Varela-Ramirez, R.J. Aguilera, R. Ovalle and M. Contel. "Group 11 Metal Compounds with Tripodal Bis(imidazole) Thioether Ligands. Applications as Catalysts in the Oxidation of Alkenes and as Antimicrobial Agents." Molecules (invitation to a special issue on Pincer Complexes) 16: 6701. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 2011
Vela, L., M. Contel, L. Palomera, G. Azaceta and I. Marzo. "Iminophosphorane-organogold(III) Complexes Induce Cell Death Through Mitochondrial ROS Production." Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry 105: 1306. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 2011
"Gold Chemistry: Applications and Future Directions in the Life Sciences," ed. Fabian Mohr, book review. Angewandte Chemie International Edition 49: 250; Angewandte Chemie 122: 258. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 2010
Aguilar, D., M. Contel and E.P. Urriolabeitia. "Mechanistic Insights in the One-Pot Synthesis of Propargylamines From Terminal Alkynes and Amines in Chlorinated Solvents Catalyzed by Gold Compounds and Nanoparticles." Chemistry, A European Journal 16: 9287. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 2010
Roiban, G.-D., E. Serrano, T. Soler, M. Contel, I. Grosu, C. Cativiela and E.P. Urroiolabeitia. "Orthopalladation of (Z)-2-Aryl-4-Arylidene-5(4H)-Oxazolones. Structure and Functionalization." Organometallics 29: 1428-35. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 2010
Aguilar, D., M. Contel, R. Navarro, T. Soler and E.P. Urriolabeitia. "Gold(III) Iminophosphorane Complexes as Catalysts in C-C and C-O Bond Formations." Journal of Organometallic Chemistry 694: 486 (invitation to a special issue, "Gold Catalysis: New Perspectives for Homogeneous Catalysis"). (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 2009
Elie, B.T., C. Levine, Iban Ubarretxena-Belandia, A. Varela, R. Aguilera, R. Ovalle and M. Contel. "Water Soluble Phosphane-Gold(I) Complexes. Applications as Recyclable Catalysts in a Three-Component Coupling Reaction and as Anticancer and Antimicrobial Agents." European Journal of Inorganic Chemistry: 3421. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 2009
Shaik, N., A. Martinez, I. Augustin, H. Giovinazzo, A. Varela, R. Aguilera, M. Sanau and M. Contel. "Synthesis of Apoptosis-Inducing Iminophosphorane Organogold(III) Complexes and Study of Their Interactions with Biomolecular Targets." Inorganic Chemistry 48: 1577. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 2009
Aguilar, D., R. Bielsa, M. Contel, A. Lledos, R. Navarro, T. Soler and E.P. Urriolabeitia. "Regioselective Orthopalladation of Stabilized Iminophosphoranes in Exo Position: Scope, Limitations and Mechanistic Insights." Organometallics. (Books and Publications: Forthcoming Publications) 2008
Aguilar, D., M. Contel, R. Navarro and E. Urriolabeitia. "Organogold(III) Iminophosphorane Complexes as Efficient Catalysts in the Addition of 2-Methylfuran and Electron-Rich Arenes to Methyl Vinyl Ketone." Organometallics 26: 4604. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 2007
Lantos, D., M. Contel, S. Sanz, A. Bodor and I.T. Horvárth. "Homogeneous Gold-Catalyzed Hydrosilylation of Aldehydes." Journal of Organometallic Chemistry 692: 1799. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 2007
Lantos, D., M. Contel, A. Larrea, D. Szabó and I.T. Horváth. "Fluorous Phosphine Assisted Recycling of Gold Catalysts for Hydrosilylation of Aldehydes." QSAR & Combinatorial Science 25: 719. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 2006
Contel, M., P.R. Villuendas, J. Fernández-Gallardo, P.J. Alonso, J.-M. Vincent and R.H. Fish. "Fluorocarbon Soluble Copper(II) Carboxylate Complexes with Non-Fluoroponytailed Ligands as Precatalysts for the Oxidation of Alkenols and Alcohols Under Fluorous Biphasic or Thermomorphic Modes: Structural and Mechanistic Aspects." Inorganic Chemistry 44: 9971. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 2005
Fish, R.H., A. Rabion, K. Neimann, R. Neumann, J.-M. Vincent, M. Contel, C. Izuel, P.R. Villuendas and P.J. Alonso. "Precatalyst Seaparation Paradigms: Alkane Functionalization in Water Utilizing in situ Formed [Fe2O(1-H2O)(1-Oac)(TPA)2]3+, Embedded in Surface-Derivatized Silica, as an MMO Model, and Fluorous Biphasic Catalysis for Alkane, Alkene, and Alcohol Oxidation Chemistry." Topics in Catalysis 32: 185. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 2005
Adé, A., E. Cerrada, M. Contel, M. Laguna, P. Merino and T. Tejero. "Organometallic Gold(III) and Gold(I) Complexes as Catalysts for the 1,3-Dipolar Cycloaddition to Nitrones: Synthesis of Novel Gold-Nitrone Derivatives." Journal of Organometallic Chemistry 689: 1788. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 2004
Vincent, J.-M., D. Lastécouères, M. Contel, M. Laguna and R.H. Fish. "Synthesis of Fluorous Nitrogen Ligands and Their Metal Complex as Precatalysts for Application in Alkane, Alkene, and Alcohol Oxidation, and Atom Transfer Radical Reactions." Handbook of Fluorous Chemistry. Wiley-VHC. Chapter 10.12: 298. (Books and Publications: Chapter) 2004
Vincent, J.-M., M. Contel, M. Laguna and R.H. Fish. "Mn2+/Co2+/Cu2+/Cu+ Complexes of Fluoroponytailed Rf-Tris-N-1,4,7-triazacyclononane and Rf-Carboxylate, C8F17(CH2)2COOH. Precatalysts for FBC Alkane, Alkene, and Alcohol Oxidation Chemistry." Handbook of Fluorous Chemistry. Wiley-VHC. Chapter 11.15: 394. (Books and Publications: Chapter) 2004
Casado, R., M. Contel, M. Laguna, P. Romero and S. Sanz. "Organometallic Gold(III) Compunds as Catalysts for the Addition of Water and Methanol to Terminal Alkynes." Journal of the American Chemical Society 125: 11925. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 2003
Contel, M., C. Izuel, R.H. Fish, M. Laguna, P.R. Villuendas and P.J. Alonso. "Fluorous Biphasic Catalysis: Synthesis and Characterization of Copper (I) and Copper (II) Fluoroponytailed 1,4,7-Rf-TACN and 2,2´-Bipyridine Complexes, and Demonstration of Their Catalytic Activity in the Oxidation of Hydrocarbons, Olefins, and Alcohols, Including Mechanistic Implications." Chemistry - A European Journal 9: 4168. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 2003
Bennett, M.A., M. Contel, D.C.R. Hockless, L.L. Welling and A.C. Willis. "Bis{(2-diphenylphosphino)phenyl}mercury: A P-Donor Ligand and Precursor to Mixed Metal-Mercury (d8-d10) Cyclometalated Complexes Containing 2-C6H4PPh2." Inorganic Chemistry 41: 844. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 2002
Contel, M., M. Stol, M.A. Casado, G.P.M. van Klink, D.D. Ellis, A.L. Spek and G. Van Koten. "A Bis(ortho-amine)aryl-Gold(I) Compound as an Efficient, Nontoxic, Arylating Reagent." Organometallics 21: 4556. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 2002
Laguna, M., J. Garrido and M. Contel. "Mesityl-Gold(I) Complexes." Inorganic Synthesis 33: 181. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 2002
Bennett, M.A., A.M. Clark, M. Contel, C.E.F. Rickard, W.R. Roper and L.J. Wright. "Cyclometallated Complexes of Ruthenium and Osmium Containing the o-C6H4PPh2 Ligand." Journal of Organometallic Chemistry 601: 299. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 2000
Cerrada, E., M. Contel, A.D. Valencia, M. Laguna, T. Gelbrich and M.B. Hursthouse. "A New, Simple Route to Novel Gold Clusters: Structure of an Au6Ag Wheel with a Gold Rim." Angewandte Chemie International Edition 39: 2353. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 2000
Contel, M., A.J. Edwards, J. Garrido, M.B. Hursthouse, M. Laguna and R. Terroba. "J.Mesityl Gold(III) Complexes. X-ray Structure of Mononuclear [Au(mes)2Cl(PPh3)] and the Dimer [Au(mes)2Cl]2." Journal of Organometallic Chemistry 607: 129. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 2000
Contel, M., D. Nobel, G. van Koten and A.L. Spek. "Reactivity of Bis-[{2,6-bis(dimethylaminomethyl)phenyl}gold(I)], an Unusual Intermolecularly Stabilized Bis(amino)-Aryl-Gold(I) Dimer, Towards Alkyl Halides. X-ray Crystal Structures of Its Iodomethane and Methylene Iodide Adducts." Organometallics 19: 3288. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 2000
Bennett, M.A., M. Contel, D.C.R. Hockless and L.L. Welling. "Bis{2-diphenylphosphino)phenyl}Mercury: A Novel Bidentate Ligand and Transfer Reagent for the o-C6H4PPh2 Group." Chemical Communications: 2401. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 1998
Contel, M., J. Garrido, M.C. Gimeno and M. Laguna. "A Silver (I) Center Solely Bonded to Four Gold (I) Atoms." Journal of the Chemical Society, Dalton Transactions 1083. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 1998
Laguna, M., M.D. Villacampa, M. Contel and J. Garrido. "Hexanuclear Mercury-Silver Complexes. Novel Coordination for Bridging Mesityl and Triflate Groups." Inorganic Chemistry 37: 133. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 1998
Contel, M., J. Garrido, J. Jiménez, P.G. Jones, M. Laguna and A. Laguna. "Trimethylsilylmethyl Gold (I) Complexes. X-Ray Structure of [Au(CH2SiMe3) (PPh2CH2PPh2Me)]ClO4.0,25CH2Cl2." Journal of Organometallic Chemistry 543: 71. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 1997
Contel, M., J. Garrido, M.C. Gimeno, J. Jiménez, P.G. Jones, A. Laguna and M. Laguna. "Polynuclear Mesityl-Gold and -Gold-Silver Derivatives. Crystal Structure of [Ag(-dppm){Au(mes)}2]ClO4.3CH2Cl2 (dppm=bis(diphenylphosphino)methane, mes=mesityl)." Inorganica Chimica Acta 254: 157. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 1997
Findeis, B., M. Contel, L.H. Gade, M. Laguna, M.C. Gimeno, I. Scowen and M. McPartlin. "Triamidostannagold Complexes in Different Oxidation States. First Structural Characterization of a Sn-Au-Au-Sn Linear Chain." Inorganic Chemistry 36: 2386. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 1997
Contel, M., J. Garrido, M.C. Gimeno, P.G. Jones, A. Laguna and M. Laguna. "Trinuclear Au2Ag and Au2Cu Complexes with Mesityl Bridging Ligands. X-Ray Structure of the One-Dimensional Chain Polymer [{Au(-mes)(AsPh3}2Ag]ClO4." Organometallics 15: 4939. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 1996
Contel, M., K.W. Hellmann, L.H. Gade, I.J. Scowen, M. McPartlin and M. Laguna. "Triamidogerma- and -Stanna-aurates (I): First Structural Characterisation of a Ge-Au-Ge Unit." Inorganic Chemistry 35: 3713. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 1996
Contel, M., J. Jiménez, P.G. Jones, A. Laguna and M. Laguna. "Mesityl Gold Complexes. Synthesis and Reactivity. X-Ray structure of [{PPh3Au(-mes)Ag(tht)}2][SO3CF3]2 (mes=mesityl, tht = tetrahidrothiophene)." Journal of the Chemical Society, Dalton Transactions: 2515. (Books and Publications: Peer Reviewed Article) 1994
Awards, Honors and Fellowships
NIH SCORE, for "Titanium-gold-based Chemotherapeutics for Prostate and Kidney Cancer." $1,413,000; July 2013-June 2017. (Grants and Fellowships) 2013
Tow Faculty Travel Fellowship, Brooklyn College. (Grants and Fellowships) 2013
NIH SCORE, for "Organogold Phosphorus-containing Compounds as Anticancer Agents." $471,000, February 2010-February 2013. (Grants and Fellowships) 2010
PSC-CUNY Research Award, for "Gold(III) Compounds as Anti-cancer Agents." $3,300. (Grants and Fellowships) 2009
PSC-CUNY Research Award, for "Gold Compounds as Greener Oxidation Homogeneous Catalysts." $3,500. (Awards and Honors) 2008
F21 (class 2007) PKAL fellow. (Grants and Fellowships) 2007
PSC-CUNY New Faculty Research Award, for "Gold Compounds as Environmentally Benign Catalysts for Reactions with Potential Industrial Applications." $3,900. (Awards and Honors) 2007
Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums
"Iminophosphorane d8 Transition Metal Complexes as Potential Anticancer Agents via a Non-cisplatin Mode of Action." ACS Spring National Meeting. New Orleans. April 7-11. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Contributed Talk) 2013
"Iminophosphorane Pincer Ligands as Useful Precursors to Potential Anticancer Metallodrugs." European COST Action CM 1005 "Selectively Fighting Cancer: Benefits From Metal Complexes by Protein Targeting and Novel Activation Strategies." Groningen, Holland, Feb. 25-26. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2013
Inorganic Chemistry Department, University of Alcala. Madrid. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2013
Spanish Bioinorganic Chemistry Society National Meeting. Burgos, Spain. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2013
"Organometallic and Coordination Gold (III), Platinum(II) and Palladium(II) Complexes With Iminophosphorane Ligands as Potential Anticancer Agents." XXVI International Conference on Organometallic Chemistry. Lisbon, Portugal, Sept. 2-7. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Contributed Talk) 2012
"Organometallic and Coordination Gold (III) Complexes With Iminophosphorane Ligands. Study of Their Cytotoxic Properties and Their Mode of Action.". Book of abstracts. International Conference on Bioinorganic Chemistry (ICBIC-15). Vancouver, Canada, Aug. 5-13. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2011
Chemistry Department, University of Hawaii, Manoa. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2010
Invited talk at the Chemistry Department, Rutgers University. New Jersey, February. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2010
"Catalytic and Pharmacological (Anti-Cancer, Antibacterial) Uses of New Gold(III)-Iminophosphorane Complexes." International Zing Conference on Organometallic Chemistry. Bolans Village, Antigua and Barbuda, March. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Contributed Talk) 2009
"Anticancer and Antibacterial Properties of Novel Organogold Compounds" poster presented by collaborator Renato Aguilear. 11th RCMI International Symposium on Health Disparities. Honolulu, December. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2008
"Gold Compounds with Tripodal Bis(imidazole) Thioether Ligand as Oxidation Catalysts" and "New Water Soluble Gold(I) Compounds and Their Application in C-C Coupling Reactions." Posters presented by undergraduate students Benelita T. Ellie and Reema Amis. 12th Annual Green Chemistry & Engineering Conference. Washington, D.C., June. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2008
"Gold(III) Iminophosphorane Complexes as Catalysts in C-C and C-O Bond Formations by Electrophilic C-H Activation" poster presented by collaborator from Spain, Dr. E.P. Urriolabeitia. 23rd International Conference on Organometallic Chemistry. Rennes, France, July. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2008
"Organogold(III) Iminophosphorane Complexes and Study of Their Toxicity against Tumor Solid Cells." ACS--Mid-Atlantic Regional Meeting. Queensborough Community College. Queens, N.Y., May. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2008
"Organogold(III) Iminophosphorane Complexes and Study of Their Toxicity against Tumor Solid Cells." Gordon Conference on Organometallic Chemistry. Salve Regina University. Newport, R.I., July. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2008
"Fluorocarbon Soluble Copper(II) Carboxylate Complexes with Non-Fluoroponytailed Ligands as Precatalysts for the Oxidation of Alkenols and Alcohols Under Fluorous Biphasic or Thermomorphic Modes: Structural and Mechanistic Aspects." International Symposium on Fluorous Technologies (ISOFT´05). Bordeaux, France. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Contributed Talk) 2005
"Organometallic Gold(III) Complexes as Catalysts for Nucleophilic Additions to Triple Bonds and C-C Bond Formations." Chemiodozententagung 2004. Dortmund, Germany. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Contributed Talk) 2004
"Intramolecular Carbon-Carbon Formation in Cyclometallated Complexes of Gold and Palladium." XVIIIth International Conference on Organometallic Chemistry. Munich. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Contributed Talk) 1998
Professional Leadership
Member, CORE Committee, September 2011-May 2013. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2011
Undergraduate students' adviser, Chemistry Department, 2010-11. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2010
College Campus Steering Committee, New York City Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (NYC-LSAMP), 2009-present. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2009
College representative for Project Kaleidoscope, 2007-present. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2007
College Students' Records Committee, 2007-09. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2007
