Challenges and Opportunities for the Application of Boron Clusters in Drug Design

There are two branches in boron medicinal chemistry: the first focuses on single boron atom compounds, and the second utilizes boron clusters. Boron clusters and their heteroatom counterparts belong to the family of cage compounds. A subset of this extensive class of compounds includes dicarbadodecaboranes, which have the general formula C2B10H12, and their metal biscarboranyl complexes, metallacarboranes, with the formula [M(C2B10H12)(2)(-2)]. The unique properties of boron clusters have resulted in their utilization in applications such as in pharmacophores, as scaffolds in molecular construction and as modulators of bioactive compounds. This perspective presents an overview of the properties of boron clusters that are pertinent for drug discovery, recent applications in the design of various classes of drugs and the potential use of boron clusters in the construction of new pharmaceuticals.