Pyrene-based fluorescent Ru(II)-arene complexes for significant biological applications: catalytic potential, DNA/protein binding, two photon cell imaging and cytotoxicity.

Ruthenium complexes are being studied extensively as anticancer drugs following the inclusion of NAMI-A and KP1019 in phase II clinical trials for the treatment of metastatic phase and primary tumors. Herein, we designed and synthesized four organometallic Ru(II)-arene complexes [Ru(η--cymene)(L)Cl] (1), [Ru(η-benzene)(L)Cl] (2), [Ru(η--cymene)(L)N] (3) and [Ru(η-benzene)(L)N] (4) [HL = ()-'-(pyren-1-ylmethylene)thiopene-2-carbohydrazide] that have anticancer, antimetastatic and two-photon cell imaging abilities. Moreover, in the transfer hydrogenation of NADH to NAD, these compounds also display good catalytic activity.

Selective anticancer activities of ruthenium(II)-tetrazole complexes and their mechanistic insights.

Ruthenium-based metallotherapeutics is an interesting alternative for platinum complexes acting as anticancer agents after the entry of KP1019, NAMI-A, and TLD1339 in clinical trials. Herein, we have synthesized three new arene ruthenium(II)-tetrazole complexes viz. [Ru(η-p-cymene)(2-pytz)Cl] (1), [Ru(η-p-cymene)(3-pytz)Cl] (2), [Ru(η-p-cymene)(4-pytz)Cl] (3) [2-pytzH = 2-pyridyl tetrazole; 3-pytzH = 3-pyridyl tetrazole; 4-pytzH = 4-pyridyl tetrazole] which have been characterized by different analytical techniques.