Selective cytotoxic Ru(II) arene Cp* complex salts [R-PhRuCp*]+X- for X = BF4-, PF6-, and BPh4-

Abstract

A novel series of ionic Ru(II) arene Cp* sandwich complexes has been synthesized and characterized. Screening results for cytotoxicity against a range of human tumor cell lines and normal human cells indicate that the complexes show promising anticancer activity, which varies with changes in the arene ligand and the anionic counterion. Thus, reaction of RuCl3 with pentamethylcyclopentadiene in presence of propiophenone followed by reaction with NaPh4 in water gave 76% [Cp*Ru(.eta.6-C6H5COPr)]BPh4 (crystal structure); the anticancer activity of which was detd.