Anticancer activity of Ni(II) and Zn(II) complexes based on new unsymmetrical salophen-type ligands: synthesis, characterization and single-crystal X-ray diffraction.

The discovery of new coordination compounds with anticancer properties is an active field of research due to the severe side effects of platinum-based compounds currently used in chemotherapy. In the search for new agents for the treatment of cancer, unsymmetrical NO-tetradentate ligand (H2L1 and H2L2) and their Ni(II) and Zn(II) asymmetric complexes (NiII-L1-2 and ZnII-L1-2) have been synthesized and fully characterized. H NMR studies revealed that the ligands and complexes were stable in mixtures of DMSO : DO (9 : 1).

Ferrocene-based nitroheterocyclic sulfonylhydrazones: design, synthesis, characterization and trypanocidal properties.

A series of new ferrocenyl nitroheterocyclic sulfonylhydrazones (1a-4a and 1b-2b) were prepared by the reaction between formyl (R = H) or acetyl (R = CH) nitroheterocyclic precursors [4/5-NO(CHXCOR), where X = O, S)] and ferrocenyl tosyl hydrazine [(η-CH)Fe(η-CHSO-NH-NH)]. All compounds were characterized by conventional spectroscopic techniques. In the solid state, the molecular structures of compounds 1a, 2b, and 3a were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction.

Metal-Organic Compounds as Anticancer Agents: Versatile Building Blocks for Selective Action on G-quadruplexes.

Background: Since the 1980s, cancer research has focused primarily on developing new therapeutic agents targeting DNA alterations rather than understanding cancer as an integrated system composed of several modules. In this sense, G-quadruplex (G4) nucleic acids are a promising target for drug development for cancer therapy since they exist in the chromosomal telomeric sequences and the promoter regions of numerous genes. The G4 structures within telomeric DNA can inhibit telomerase activity and prevent the proliferation and immortalization of cancer cells.

Evaluation of trypanocidal properties of ferrocenyl and cyrhetrenyl N-acylhydrazones with pendant 5-nitrofuryl group.

Four N-acylhydrazones of general formulae [R-C(O)-NH-N=C(R)(5-nitrofuryl)] with (R = ferrocenyl or cyrhetrenyl and R = H or Me) are synthesized and characterized in solution and in the solid-state. Comparative studies of their stability in solution under different experimental conditions and their electrochemical properties are reported. NMR studies reveal that the four compounds are stable in DMSO‑d and complementary UV-Vis studies confirm that they also exhibit high stability in mixtures DMSO:HO at 37 °C.

Spectroscopic Study of the E/Z Photoisomerization of a New Cyrhetrenyl Acylhydrazone: A Potential Photoswitch and Photosensitizer.

The new cyrhetrenyl acylhydrazone [(CO) Re(η -C H )-C(O)-NH-N = C(CH )-(2-C H S-5-NO )] (E-CyAH) has been designed, synthesized and fully characterized to study the effect of having a cyrhetrenyl fragment (sensitizer) covalently bonded to an acylhydrazone moiety (switch), on its photophysical and photochemical properties. The crystal structure reveals that E-CyAH adopts an E-configuration around the iminic moiety [-N = C(CH )]. The absorption spectrum of E-CyAH displays two bands at 270 and 380 nm, which are mainly ascribed to π → π* intraligand (IL) and d  → π* metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) transitions, being consistent with DFT/TD-DFT calculations.