Exploring the potential of ruthenium(II)-phosphine-mercapto complexes as new anticancer agents.

The search for new metal-based anticancer drug candidates is a fundamental task in medicinal inorganic chemistry. In this work, we assessed the potential of two new Ru(II)-phosphine-mercapto complexes as potential anticancer agents. The complexes, with the formula [Ru(bipy)(dppen)(Lx)]PF [(1), HL1 = 2-mercapto-pyridine and (2), HL2 = 2-mercapto-pyrimidine, bipy = 2,2'-bipyridine, dppen = -1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)-ethylene] were synthesized and characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) [H, P(H), and C], high resolution mass spectrometry (HR-MS), cyclic voltammetry, infrared and UV-Vis spectroscopies.

Cobalt(III)-pyen systems as potential carriers of β-ketoester-based ligands.

Two cobalt(III) complexes containing different β-ketoesters, namely [Co(L1)(pyen)](ClO)·HO (1) and [Co(L2)(pyen)](ClO) (2) (pyen = N,N'-bis(pyridin-2-ylmethyl)ethylenediamine; L1 = methylacetoacetate; L2 = ethyl 4-chloroacetoacetate) have been prepared and investigated as prototypes of bioreductive prodrugs. The presence of β-ketoester and pyen ligands in 1 and 2, as well as the perchlorate counterions, was supported by IR spectroscopy and CHN elemental analysis. The composition molecular structure of both complexes was confirmed by NMR spectroscopy and ESI mass spectrometry.

Novel Ru(II)-bipyridine/phenanthroline-lapachol complexes as potential anti-cancer agents.

For the first time, we herein report on the syntheses of two new Ru(II)/bipyridine/phenanthroline complexes containing lapachol as ligand: complex (1), [Ru (bipy)(Lap)]PF and complex (2), [Ru(Lap)(phen)]PF, where bipy = 2,2'-bipyridine and ph en = 1,10-phenanthroline; Lap = lapachol (2-hydroxy-3-(3-methylbut-2-en-1- yl)naphthalene-1,4-dione). The complexes were synthesized and characterized by elemental analyses, molar conductivity, mass spectrometry, ultraviolet-visible and infrared spectroscopies, nuclear magnetic resonance (H, C), and single crystal X-ray diffraction, for complex (2). In addition, in vitro cytotoxicity was tested against six cancer cells: A549 (lung carcinoma); DU-145 (human prostate carcinoma); HepG2 (human hepatocellular carcinoma), PC-3 (human prostate adenocarcinoma); MDA-MB-231 (human breast adenocarcinoma); Caco-2 (human colorectal adenocarcinoma), and against two non-cancer cells, FGH (human gingival normal fibroblasts) and PNT-2 (prostate epithelial cells).

Experimental and Theoretical DFT Study of Cu(I)/,-Disubstituted-'-acylthioureato Anticancer Complexes: Actin Cytoskeleton and Induction of Death by Apoptosis in Triple-Negative Breast Tumor Cells.

Six complexes with the general formula [Cu(acylthioureato)(PPh)] were synthesized and characterized using spectroscopic techniques (IR, UV/visible, and 1D and 2D NMR), mass spectrometry, elemental analysis, and X-ray diffraction. Interpretation of the cytotoxicity data of Cu(I) complexes took into account their stability in cell culture medium. DFT calculations showed that NMR properties, such as the shielding of carbon atoms, are affected by relativistic effects, supported by the ZORA Hamiltonian in the theoretical calculations.

A Supramolecular Interaction of a Ruthenium Complex With Calf-Thymus DNA: A Ligand Binding Approach by NMR Spectroscopy.

Lawsone itself exhibits interesting biological activities, and its complexation with a metal center can improve the potency. In this context a cytotoxic Ru-complex, [Ru(law)(dppb)(bipy)] (law = lawsone, dppb = 1,4-bis(diphenylphosphino)butane and bipy = 2,2'-bipyridine), named as CBLAU, was prepared as reported. In this work, NMR binding-target studies were performed to bring to light the most accessible interaction sites of this Ru-complex toward Calf-Thymus DNA (CT-DNA, used as a model), in a similar approach used for other metallic complexes with anti-cancer activity, such as cisplatin and carboplatin.