Facile synthesis of fluoro, methoxy, and methyl substituted ferrocene-based urea complexes as potential therapeutic agents

New ferrocene integrated amphiphilic guanidines: Synthesis, spectroscopic elucidation, DFT calculation and in vitro α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibition combined with molecular docking approach

Three N, N', N″-trisubstituted ferrocenyl guanidines (MG-10, MG-12 and MG-14) were synthesized, characterized by several analytical methods such as FT-IR, ¹H and ¹³C NMR, elemental analysis and UV-visible spectroscopy. These compounds have long chain aliphatic groups therefore their aliphatic nature has been evaluated by determining their critical micelle concentration (CMC). CMC point decreases from 0.036 mM to 0.013 mM with increase in the aliphatic chain length. The quantum mechanical parameters such as the energy of frontier molecular orbitals (E_HOMO and E_LUMO) and the Mulliken charge distribution on the optimized structures were determined using a DFT/B3LYP method combined with the 6-31G (d,p) basis set in the gas phase. The in vitro antidiabetic activity of synthesized compounds showed that MG-12 has IC₅₀value 23.10 μg/mL against α-amylase while MG-10 has IC₅₀value 27.32 μg/mL against α-glucosidase with the respective standard Acarbose (IC₅₀value 20.12 μg/mL). Theoretical docking analysis demonstrated that MG-10 and MG-12 interacted with α-amylase by 3 types of interaction, including hydrogen bonds, hydrophobic interactions and electrostatic interactions.

Assessing the biological potential of new symmetrical ferrocene based bisthiourea analogues

In the present work synthesis and characterization of five new bisferrocenyl bisthiourea analogues (G_2M, S_2M, G_3F, G_4F and T_2M) is reported. UV-Visible and electrochemical studies were performed in order to have optical (absorption maximum, Molar absorption coefficient and optical band gap) and electrochemical parameters (Oxidation/reduction potentials and nature of the electrochemical process) of the compounds. In vitro various biological studies such as antibacterial, antifungal, anti-oxidant and antidiabetic activities were carried out to have comparative overview of the phermacochemical strength of the newly synthesized compounds. Similarly, theoretical analysis was accomplished utilizing density functional theory calculations. DFT/B3LYP (6-31G d, p) technique was used. With a view to explore the structure activity relationship (SAR) of the compounds theoretical docking analysis (against α-amylase, α-glucosidase) was also performed to have pictorial view and understanding of the actual interactions responsible for the activity. S_2M displayed best antibacterial activity. Similarly, Antifungal and antidiabetic activities showed G_3F as a best candidate, whereas T_2M proved to be the best antioxidant agent.

Ferrocene-containing hybrids as potential anticancer agents: Current developments, mechanisms of action and structure-activity relationships

Cancer is one of the most fatal threatens to human health throughout the world. The major challenges in the control and eradication of cancers are the continuous emergency of drug-resistant cancer and the low specificity of anticancer agents, creating an urgent need to develop novel anticancer agents. Organometallic compounds especially ferrocene derivatives possess remarkable structural and mechanistic diversity, inherent stability towards air, heat and light, low toxicity, low cost, reversible redox, ligand exchange, and catalytic properties, making them promising drug candidates for cancer therapy. Ferrocifen, a ferrocene-phenol hybrid, has demonstrated promising anticancer properties on drug-resistant cancers. Currently, Ferrocifen is in pre-clinical trial against cancers. Obviously, ferrocene moiety is a useful template for the development of novel anticancer agents. This review will provide an overview of ferrocene-containing hybrids with potential application in the treatment of cancers covering articles published between 2010 and 2020. The mechanisms of action, the critical aspects of design and structure-activity relationships are also discussed.

A strategic approach to the synthesis of ferrocene appended chalcone linked triazole allied organosilatranes: Antibacterial, antifungal, antiparasitic and antioxidant studies

A series of ferrocene appended chalcone allied triazole coupled organosilatranes (FCTSa 7-FCTSa 12) were synthesised with the aim of amalgamating the pharmacological action of the constituting moieties into a single molecular scaffold. All the synthesised silatranes were well characterized by various spectroscopic techniques like IR, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR and elemental analysis. Organosilatranes were then evaluated for their biological alacrity against bacterial and fungal strains compared with the standard drugs Rifampicin and Amphotericin B respectively. The ferrocene conjugates were found to be only moderately effective against the tested microbes. However, the organosilatranes conceded excellent efficacy against parasite G. lamblia with FCTSa 11 arraying the leading results. On the other hand against another parasite T. vaginalis, FCTSa 8 has emerged as an outstanding composite. Further, Total Antioxidant Assay (TAA) with 2,2'-azino-bis-3-(ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) revealed FCTSa 10 to be the best claimant for radical scavenging activity. Along these lines, introducing some different substituents in the synthesised hybrids may act as a useful strategy for increasing the biological profile of the drugs.

Synthesis, spectroscopic investigation, and DFT study of N,N'-disubstituted ferrocene-based thiourea complexes as potent anticancer agents

In the present work, the synthesis, characterization (FT-IR, multinuclear (¹H and ¹³C) NMR, AAS, Raman, and elemental analyses), DNA binding (cyclic voltammetry, UV-Vis spectroscopy), and in vitro biological screening of nine new ferrocene-incorporated thioureas (A1-A9) are reported. Furthermore, the single-crystal X-ray structure of compound A8 was also determined. The ferrocene-based N,N'-disubstituted thioureas were derived by allowing the ferrocenyl anilines to react with freshly prepared isothiocyanates under a N₂ atmosphere in dry acetone. The DNA binding studies performed by cyclic voltammetry and UV-Vis spectroscopy produced results that are in close agreement with one another for the binding constants (K) and an electrostatic mode of interaction was observed. The DFT/B3LYP method was used to determine the charge distribution and HOMO/LUMO energies of the optimized structure. The DFT calculated HOMO and LUMO energies correlate well with the experimentally determined redox potential values. The synthesized ferrocenyl thioureas exhibited good scavenging activity against the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH). These complexes were also scanned for their in vitro cytotoxic activity against MCF-7 carcinoma cells, and also towards the non-cancerous cell line MCF-10A. The results showed modest cytotoxicity against the subjected cancer cell line compared with a standard chemotherapeutic drug (cisplatin). However, these ferrocenyl derivatives have fewer toxic effects in normal cells.

Computational and Pharmacological Evaluation of Ferrocene-Based Acyl Ureas and Homoleptic Cadmium Carboxylate Derivatives for Anti-diabetic Potential

We investigated possible anti-diabetic effect of ferrocene-based acyl ureas: 4-ferrocenyl aniline (PFA), 1-(4-chlorobenzoyl)-3-(4-ferrocenylphenyl) urea (DPC1), 1-(3-chlorobenzoyl)-3-(4-ferrocenylphenyl) urea (DMC1), 1-(2-chlorobenzoyl)-3-(4-ferrocenylphenyl) urea (DOC1) and homoleptic cadmium carboxylates: bis (diphenylacetato) cadmium (II) (DPAA), bis (4-chlorophenylacetato) cadmium (II) (CPAA), using in silico and in vivo techniques. PFA, DPC1, DMC1, DOC1, DPAA and CPAA exhibited high binding affinities (ACE ≥ −350 Kcal/mol) against targets: aldose reductase, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ, 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-1, C-alpha glucosidase and glucokinase, while showed moderate affinities (ACE ≥ −250 Kcal/mol) against N-alpha glucosidase, dipeptidyl peptidase-IV, phosphorylated-Akt, glycogen synthase kinase-3β, fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, whereas revealed lower affinities (ACE < −250 Kcal/mol) vs. alpha amylase, protein tyrosine phosphatases 1B, glycogen phosphorylase and phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase. In alloxan (300 mg/Kg)-induced diabetic mice, DPAA and DPC1 (1–10 mg/Kg) at day 1, 5, 10, 15, and 20th decreased blood glucose levels, compared to diabetic control group and improved the treated animals body weight. DPAA (10 mg/Kg) and DPC1 (5 mg/Kg) in time-dependent manner (30–120 min.) enhanced tolerance of oral glucose overload in mice. DPAA and DPCI dose-dependently at 1, 5, and 10 mg/Kg decreased glycosylated hemoglobin levels in diabetic animals, as caused by metformin. These results indicate that aforementioned derivatives of ferrocene and cadmium possess anti-diabetic potential.

Biologically active halo-substituted ferrocenyl thioureas: synthesis, spectroscopic characterization, and DFT calculations

The DNA binding affinity of ferrocenyl complexes explored by CV and UV ascertain them as noble DNA binders. The computational measurements correlate well with the outcomes of electrochemistry and bio-activities.