Synthesis, Spectroscopic Characterization and Antitumoural Evaluation of Cationic Ruthenium (II) Cp* Arene Full-Sandwich Complexes for the Treatment of Cancer

Abstract

The significant involvement of metal ions and complexes in biological processes and systems has, over recent times, led to the realization that considerable scope exists for the design of metal-based therapeutics. While considerable work in this area has been in the field of coordination complexes, the large diversity of structure and unique bonding modes of organometallic complexes also suggests that these systems may find use as therapeutic agents. This thesis seeks to explore this hypothesis through the in vitro / in vivo anticancer evaluation of a family of cationic organoruthenium Cp* arene full-sandwich complexes.