“NOVEL METALLACYCLIC SYSTEMS OF Ru(II) AS POTENTIAL ANTICANCER DERIVATIVES: CHEMISTRY AND BIOACTIVITY”

Many Ru(II) complexes are considered valid candidates as anticancer drugs since they show reduced cytotoxicity and genotoxicity in non-tumor cells. In addition, these compounds present lower chances of cancer cells developing intrinsic or acquired resistance due to their peculiar paths of action. Many cytotoxic metal complexes of Ru(II) with NSAIDs (as ibuprofen, naproxen or acetylsalicylic acid) have been reported as effective antitumor agents. Furthermore, we are convinced that the incorporation of a gold atom into the Ru(II) metal skeleton may induce cooperative features, potentially enhancing anticancer properties. Complexation studies of [Ru(H)2(CO)(PPh3)3] with several ligands such as amino acid derivates as 5-hydroxy-L-triptophane or NSAIDs as ibuprofen or thiosalicylic acid (TSA), and its corresponding gold(I) complex [Au(TSA)(PPh3)], have been carried out with the aim to investigate the antitumor properties in addition to the potential increased bioactivity added by gold coordination. The ligands bearing oxygen or nitrogen donor heteroatoms are coordinated to the Ru(II) center through O,O- or N,O- bidentate fashion modes. The resulting complexes have been studied by analytical and spectroscopic techniques (ESI-MS, IR and heteronuclear bidimensional NMR) and their cytotoxic activities have been evaluated towards cancer cells.