Synthesis and Cytotoxicity Studies of Silyl-Substituted Titanocene Dichloride Derivatives

Six new titanocene compounds have been isolated and characterized. These compounds were synthesized from their silyl-substituted fulvene or cyclopentadiene precursors using Super Hydride (LiBEt3H) or n-BuLi, followed by transmetalation with titanium tetrachloride, to yield the corresponding titanocene dichloride derivatives. These complexes are bis-[((phenyl)dimethylsilane)cyclopentadienyl] titanium(IV) dichloride (3a), bis-[((4-methoxyphenyl)-dimethylsilane)cyclopentadienyl] titanium(IV) dichloride (3b), bis-[((4-N,N-dimethylmethanamine)dimethylsilane)cyclopentadienyl] titanium(IV) dichloride (3c), bis-[((4-N,N-diethylmethanamine)dimethylsilane)cyclopentadienyl] titanium (IV) dichloride (3d), bis-[((1-methyl-5-trimethylsilyl)indol-3-yl)methylcyclopentadienyl] titanium (IV) dichloride (4e), and bis-[((1-methyl-3-diethylaminomethyl-5-trimethylsilyl)indol-2-yl)methylcyclopentadienyl] titanium(IV) dichloride (4f). The two titanocenes 3a and 3b were crystallized and characterized by X-ray crystallography, while all six titanocenes were tested for their cytotoxicity through MTT-based in vitro tests on CAKI-1 cell lines in order to determine their IC50 values. Titanocenes were found to have IC50 values of 139 (+/- 5), 106 (+/- 4), 127 (+/- 4), 104 (+/- 9), 90 (+/- 6), and 15 (+/- 2) mu M.