Molybdenum compounds for use in the treatment of cyanide poisoning

1. A molybdenum compound according to the following formula:

2. The compound according to claim 1 , wherein the cation is selected from the group consisting of sodium, potassium, and R 4 N, and, wherein R is selected from hydrogen, methyl, ethyl, propyl, Butyl, meglumine, glucosamine, ethanolamine, diethanolamine, triethanolamine (TEA), tromethamine (TRIS), N-methylaminoethanol, or N,N-dimethylaminoethanol.

3. A method of treating cyanide poisoning in a mammal, said method comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of the compound of claim 1 to a mammal.

4. A method of treating cyanide poisoning in a mammal, said method comprising administering a therapeutically effective amount of a composition comprising a molybdenum compound according to the following formula:

Wherein

X is S or a bond; and

R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 independently or together are one or more of the ligands selected from: a mono- or disaccharide having 3 to 12 carbon atoms, a natural amino acid, a primary, secondary, or tertiary amine, substituted with an alkyl having 1 to 5 carbon atoms, a mono- or di-carboxylic acid having 1 to 5 carbon atoms, which may be substituted with O, S, CH 3 S— or N, a thiocarboxylic or thiodicarboxylic acid having 1 to 5 carbon atoms, a primary, secondary or tertiary amide having 1 to 5 carbon atoms, wherein the side chains attached to the nitrogen are an alkyl having 1 to 5 carbon atoms, EDTA, cyanide, thiocyanate (SCN − ), sulfite, disulfide or tetrasulfide, and wherein

R 3 may be an electron pair.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the molybdenum compound has the formula:

wherein X is S or a bond; and

wherein R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 independently or taken together are one or more of the ligands selected from methionine, cysteine, threonine, serine, glutamate, malate, oxalate, methylsulfenyl succinate, mercapto succinate, dimethylformamide (DMF), cyanide, thiocyanate, thiosulfate, sulfite, disulfide or tetrasulfide, acetate, thiodiacetic acid, ammonium or diethylamine; and wherein

R 3 may be an electron pair.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein X is a bond.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the molybdenum compound has the formula:

wherein R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 independently or taken together are one or more of the ligands selected from: methionine, cysteine, threonine, serine, glutamate, malate, oxalate, methylsulfenyl succinate, mercapto succinate, dimethylformamide (DMF), cyanide, thiocyanate, thiosulfate, sulfite, disulfide or tetrasulfide, acetate, thiodiacetic acid, ammonium or diethylamine.

8. The method according to claim 7 , wherein R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 taken together are ligands selected from: methionine, cysteine, threonine, serine, glutamate, malate, oxalate, methylsulfenyl succinate, mercapto succinate, dimethylformamide (DMF), cyanide, thiocyanate, thiosulfate, sulfite, disulfide or tetrasulfide, thiodiacetic acid, ammonium or diethylamine.

9. The method according to claim 5 , wherein X is S.

10. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the molybdenum compound is in the form of a pharmaceutically acceptable salt.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the molybdenum compound is in the form of a salt having a cation selected from the group consisting of sodium, potassium, and R 4 N, wherein R is either hydrogen, methyl, ethyl, propyl, or Butyl, meglumine, glucosamine, ethanolamine, diethanolamine, triethanolamine (TEA), tromethamine (TRIS), N-methylaminoethanol, or N,N-dimethylaminoethanol.

12. The method according to claim 4 , further comprising a sulfur source.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the sulfur source is selected from the group consisting of: sulfur, thiosulfate, ammonium sulphide, dithiothreitol (DTT), trithiothreitol, gluthathione, and dibenzyl trisulfide (DTS).

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the sulfur source is a salt selected from the group consisting of sodium thiosulfate and potassium thiosulfate.

15. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the molybdenum compound is administered at a dose between 0.5 and 50 mg per kg body weight.

16. The method according to claim 12 , wherein the molybdenum compound is administered at a dose between 0.25 and 25 mg per kilo body weight in combination with a sulfur source at a dose between 10 and 250 mg per kilo body weight.

17. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the composition is formulated in a solid form configured for dissolution prior to administration.

18. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the composition is administered intramuscularly, nasally, intra-peritoneally or intravenously.

19. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the mammal is human.

20. The method according to claim 4 , further comprising pharmaceutically acceptable excipients, vehicles or other pharmaceutically acceptable adjuvants.

21. The method according to claim 20 , further comprising one or more further pharmaceutically active substances.

22. A method of treating cyanide poisoning in a mammal, said method comprising administering a kit comprising the compound according to claim 1 .

23. The method according to claim 22 , wherein the kit is in the form of an epi-pen.

24. A process for preparing the molybdenum compound according to claim 1 , comprising:

1) suspending a molybdenum compound having the following formula:

wherein R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 independently or together are one or more of the ligands selected from: a mono- or disaccharide having 3 to 12 carbon atoms, a natural amino acid, a primary, secondary, or tertiary amine, substituted with an alkyl having 1 to 5 carbon atoms, a mono- or di-carboxylic acid having 1 to 5 carbon atoms, which may be substituted with O, S, CH 3 S— or N, a thiocarboxylic having 1 to 5 carbon atoms, a primary, secondary or tertiary amide having 1 to 5 carbon atoms, wherein the side chains attached to the nitrogen are an alkyl having 1 to 5 carbon atoms, a complexing agent, EDTA, cyanide, thiocyanate (SCN − ), sulfite or tetrasulfide, and wherein R 3 may be an electron pair, in an inert solvent under an inert atmosphere;

2) adding 2,2′-thiodiacetic acid to the molybdenum compound in the presence of a base in a dry inert solvent under inert atmosphere and stirring the reaction mixture;

3) evaporating the solvent and precipitating; and

4) washing the precipitate with ethanol and ether,

optionally, employing re-crystallisation.

25. The process of claim 24 , wherein, in step 2), the reaction mixture is stirred at a temperature between 20° C. and 25° C.

26. The process according to claim 24 , wherein, in the compound of step 1), R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 independently or taken together are one or more of the ligands selected from: methionine, cysteine, threonine, serine, glutamate, malate, oxalate, methylsulfenyl succinate, mercapto succinate, dimethylformamide (DMF), cyanide, thiocyanate, thiosulfate, sulfite or tetrasulfide, ammonium or diethylamine, and wherein R 3 may be an electron pair.

27. The process according to claim 24 , wherein the base used in step 2) is selected from the group consisting of: NaOH, KOH, CsOH, t BuOK, t BuONa, NaOMe, KOMe, i PrONa Na 2 CO 3 , K 2 CO 3 , Et 4 NOH, and Bu 4 NOH.

28. The process according to claim 24 , wherein the inert solvent in step 1) and 2) is a polar solvent selected from the group consisting of acetonitrile, water, DMF, acetone, THF, ethanol, methanol, DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide), dioxane, DME (dimethoxyketone), glycol, and MEK (methylethylketone) or any combination thereof.

29. The process according to claim 24 , wherein the inert atmosphere of step 1) and 2) is argon or nitrogen.

30. The process according to claim 24 , wherein the reaction mixture is stirred for 15-60 minutes under step 2).

31. The process according to claim 24 , wherein, in the compound of step 1), R1, R2 and R3 together are DMF.