Novel ruthenium and palladium complexes as potential anticancer molecules on SCLC and NSCLC cell lines

Enantioselective Cytotoxicity of Chiral Diphosphine Ruthenium(II) Complexes Against Cancer Cells

The chiral cationic complex [Ru(η¹‐OAc)(CO)((R,R)‐Skewphos)(phen)]OAc (2^R), isolated from reaction of [Ru(η¹‐OAc)(η²‐OAc)(R,R)‐Skewphos)(CO)] (1^R) with phen, reacts with NaOPiv and KSAc affording [RuX(CO)((R,R)‐Skewphos)(phen)]Y (X=Y=OPiv 3^R; X=SAc, Y=OAc 4^R). The corresponding enantiomers 2^S‐4^S have been obtained from 1^S containing (S,S)‐Skewphos. Reaction of 2^R and 2^S with (S)‐cysteine and NaPF₆ at pH=9 gives the diastereoisomers [Ru((S)‐Cys)(CO)(PP)(phen)]PF₆ (PP=(R,R)‐Skewphos 2^R‐Cys; (S,S)‐Skewphos 2^S‐Cys). The DFT energetic profile for 2^R with (S)‐cysteine in H₂O indicates that aquo and hydroxo species are involved in formation of 2^R‐Cys. The stability of the ruthenium complexes in 0.9 % w/v NaCl solution, PBS and complete DMEM medium, as well as their n‐octanol/water partition coefficient (logP), have been evaluated. The chiral complexes show high cytotoxic activity against SW1736, 8505 C, HCT‐116 and A549 cell lines with EC₅₀ values of 2.8–0.04 μM. The (R,R)‐Skewphos derivatives show higher cytotoxicity compared to their enantiomers, 4^R (EC₅₀=0.04 μM) being 14 times more cytotoxic than 4^S against the anaplastic thyroid cancer 8505 C cell line.

Platinum and Palladium Complexes as Promising Sources for Antitumor Treatments

There is a need for new, safer, and more effective agents to treat cancer. Cytostatics that have transition metals at their core have attracted renewed interest from scientists. Researchers are attempting to use chemotherapeutics, such as cisplatin, in combination therapy (i.e., in order to enhance their effectiveness). Moreover, studies are being carried out to modify molecules, by developing them into multinuclear structures, linking different compounds to commonly used drugs, or encapsulating them in nanoparticles to improve pharmacokinetic parameters, and increase the selectivity of these drugs. Therefore, we attempted to organize recent drug findings that contain palladium and platinum atoms in their structures.