Arene-ruthenium complexes with ferrocene-derived ligands: Synthesis and characterization of complexes of the type [Ru(η6-arene)(NC5H4CH2NHOC-C5H4FeC5H5)Cl2] and [Ru(η6-arene)(NC3H3N(CH2)2O2C-C5H4FeC5H5)Cl2]
Arene-ruthenium complexes of general formula [Ru(eta(6)-arene)(L)Cl-2] where L=NC5H4CH2NHOC-C5H4FeC5H5, arene=p-(PrC6H4Me)-Pr-i (1) or C6Me6 (2); L=NC3H3N(CH2)(2)O2C-C5H4FeC5H5, arene=p-(PrC6H4Me)-Pr-i (3) or C6Me6 (4), and diruthenium-arene complexes of general formula [Ru(eta(6-)arene) Cl-2](2)(L) where L=1,1'-(NC5H4CH2NHOC)(2)-C5H4FeC5H4, arene=p-(PrC6H4Me)-Pr-i (5) or C6Me6 (6); L=1,1'-(NC3H3N(CH2)(2)O2C)(2)-C5H4FeC5H4, arene=p-(PrC6H4Me)-Pr-i (7) or C6Me6 (8) have been synthesized and characterized. The molecular structures of 1 and 3 were confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The in vitro anticancer activities of complexes 1-8 have been studied comparatively to the uncoordinated ligands. The complexes exhibit fairly low cytotoxicities in comparison to related ferrocene-derived arene-ruthenium complexes. (C) 2008 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.