New 4,5-Diarylimidazol-2-ylidene-iodidogold(I) Complexes with High Activity against Esophageal Adenocarcinoma Cells.

Inspired by the vascular-disrupting agent combretastatin A-4 and recently published anticancer active -heterocyclic carbene (NHC) complexes of Au(I), a series of new iodidogold(I)-NHC complexes was synthesized and characterized. The iodidogold(I) complexes were synthesized by a route involving van Leusen imidazole formation and -alkylation, followed by complexation with AgO, transmetalation with chloro(dimethylsulfide)gold(I) [Au(DMS)Cl], and anion exchange with KI. The target complexes were characterized by IR spectroscopy, H and C NMR spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry. The structure of was validated via single-crystal X-ray diffraction. A preliminary anticancer screening of the complexes using two esophageal adenocarcinoma cell lines showed promising nanomolar activities for certain iodidogold(I) complexes accompanied with apoptosis induction, as well as -Myc and cyclin D1 suppression in esophageal adenocarcinoma cells treated with the most promising derivative .