Dinuclear (η6-arene) ruthenium(II) acylpyrazolone complexes: Synthesis, characterization and cytotoxicity

• Synthesis of dinuclear Ru(II)-arene bis(acylpyrazolones).
• Analytical, spectral and X-ray characterization.
• Antitumour activity in vitro against epithelial carcinoma HeLa, MCF7 and normal MDCK cells.

Dinuclear metal complexes have emerged as a promising class of unusually biologically active compounds. Acylpyrazolonato-bridged arene ruthenium complexes of the general formula [(arene)2Ru2(L′)Cl2] were synthesized in methanol by reacting the arene ruthenium dimer [(arene)RuCl2]2 with the corresponding acylpyrazolone ligands. The complexes were isolated and fully characterized by spectroscopic methods; the single-crystal X-ray structure analysis of [(cymene)2Ru2(L1)Cl2] is also presented. These ruthenium complexes were found to be cytotoxic towards epithelial cancerous cell lines to a comparable extent to cisplatin but with higher capacity to discriminate between normal and cancer cells.

Novel dinuclear Ru(II)-arene bis(acylpyrazolones) were prepared and characterized and their antitumour activity in vitro against epithelial carcinoma HeLa, MCF7 and normal MDCK cells investigated, showing superior activity of the complex with the more flexible ligand.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide