A Water-Soluble Cationic Zinc Lysine Precursor for Coating ZnO on Biomaterial Surfaces

A novel water-soluble
cationic zinc lysine coordination compound, [Zn­[(C6H14N2O2)]2Cl]­Cl·2H2O (1), has been designed and synthesized and
its crystal structure determined. The aqueous solution of this coordination
compound is not only transparent and stable at room temperature but
it is also nearly neutral
(pH ∼ 7). It is worth noting that zinc oxide (ZnO) forms in
situ upon dilution of a solution of the compound. The bioactivity
of ZnO has been confirmed using an Alarma Blue assay. These unique
properties allow the coordination compound to gently grow ZnO coating
with excellent antibacterial benefits onto biomaterial surfaces in
a facile and safe manner.