Heteronuclear gold(I)–silver(I) sulfanylcarboxylates: Synthesis, structure and cytotoxic activity against cancer cell lines

• Novel heteronuclear compounds involving silver(I) and gold(I) centers.
• Influence of the substitution of gold(I) by silver(I) atoms.
• In vitro cytotoxicity against the HeLa-229, A2780 and A2780cis cell lines.

Heteronuclear complexes of the type [AgAu(PPh3)2(xspa)] [H2xspa = 3-(aryl)-2-sulfanylpropenoic acids; (x = 3-phenyl-; 3-(2-chlorophenyl)-; 3-(o-methoxyphenyl)-; 3-(p-methoxyphenyl)-; 3-(p-hydroxyphenyl)-; 3-(2-furyl)-; 3-(2-thienyl)-; spa = 2-sulfanylpropenoate)] were prepared by reacting the appropriate [Au(PPh3)(Hxspa)] precursor with Ag(PPh3)NO3. The compounds were characterized by spectroscopic methods, (IR; 1H, 13C and 31P NMR) and mass spectrometry and the structures of the phenyl and p-methoxyphenyl derivatives were determined by X-ray diffraction. The in vitro antitumor activity against the HeLa-229, A2780 and A2780cis cell lines was determined and compared with that of cisplatin and the equivalent homonuclear gold(I) complexes.

Heteronuclear gold(I)–silver(I) complexes were prepared and structurally characterized and its cytotoxicity activity against selected cancer cell lines was studied and compared with that of equivalent gold(I)–gold(I) compounds.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide