Some trans-chlorobis(triphenylphosphine)ruthenium(II) complexes with N,N,O-donor N-(aroyl)-N′-(picolinylidene)hydrazines

New Insights into Acylhydrazones E/Z Isomerization: An Experimental and Theoretical Approach

A family of acylhydrazones have been prepared and characterized with the aim of investigating their potential as information storage systems. Their well-established synthetic methodologies allowed for the preparation of seven chemically stable acylhydrazones in excellent yields that have been photophysically and photochemically characterized. In addition, DFT and TD-DFT calculations have been performed to gain more insights into the structural, energetic and photophysical properties of the E/Z isomers. Our results reveal that E/Z configurational isomerization upon irradiation is highly dependent on the stabilization of the E or Z isomers due to the formation of intramolecular H bonds and the electronic/steric effects intrinsically related to their structures. In addition, Raman spectroscopy is also used to confirm the molecular structural changes after the formation of hydrogen bonds in the isomers.

Novel tetranuclear ruthenium(II) arene complexes showing potent cytotoxic and antimetastatic activity as well as low toxicity in vivo

Ruthenium complexes have attracted a surge of interest as anticancer drug candidates because of their low toxicity, diversity in mode-of-actions and non-cross drug resistance with conventional platinum-based agents. Despite remarkable advances, only a limited number of ruthenium complexes have been demonstrated to kill cancer cells and suppress metastasis simultaneously. Here, two organometallic tetranuclear Ru(II) arene complexes (Ru-1 and Ru-2) have been synthesized and evaluated for their in vitro activity against a panel of human cancer cell lines, including a cisplatin-resistant human lung cancer A549 cell line. A superior cytotoxic activity of the ruthenium complexes compared to cisplatin across distinct cell lines was observed. Further examination of the mechanism indicated that anticancer activity was accomplished by inducing apoptosis in cancer cells. In addition, we found that such compounds exhibited promising antimetastatic activity and reduced the invasiveness of cancer cells. Importantly, choosing Ru-1 as a target compound, a significantly enhanced safety profile relative to cisplatin in animals was validated, suggesting that these complexes can be used as promising candidates for cancer therapy and deserve further investigation.

Solvent assisted formation of ruthenium(III) and ruthenium(II) hydrazone complexes in one-pot with potential in vitro cytotoxicity and enhanced LDH, NO and ROS release

A set each of new bivalent and trivalent ruthenium complexes, [Ru(III)(HL)Cl2(EPh3)2] and [Ru(II)(L)(CO)(EPh3)2] (E = P (complexes and ) or As (complexes and )) were synthesised from the reactions of [Ru(III)Cl3(EPh3)3] with 2-hydroxynaphthaldehyde benzoic acid hydrazone (H2L) in methanol-chloroform and characterized by elemental analysis, spectral data and XRD study. A suitable mechanism to account for the formation of bivalent ruthenium carbonyl complexes from the corresponding trivalent precursors is provided by considering the role of added base in the reaction. Interaction of complexes with CT-DNA/bovine serum albumin was analysed with absorption and emission spectral titration studies. In vitro cytotoxic potential of the above ruthenium hydrazone complexes assayed against the A549 cell line revealed a significant growth inhibition. The test complexes added in IC50 concentration into the cell culture medium enhanced the release of lactate dehydrogenase, NO and reactive oxygen species in comparison with the control. Cell death induced by the complexes was studied using a propidium iodide staining assay and showed noticeable changes in the cell morphology which resembled apoptosis.

Crystal structure of bis-(2,2'-bi-pyridine)[N'-(quino-lin-2-ylmethylidene)pyridine-2-carbohydrazide]ruthenium(II) bis(tetra-fluorido-borate) di-chloro-methane tris-olvate

The title compound, [Ru(C10H8N2)2(C16H12N4O)](BF4)2·3CH2Cl2, crystallizes with one complex dication, two BF4 (-) counter-anions and three di-chloro-methane solvent mol-ecules in the asymmetric unit. The central Ru(II) atom adopts a distorted octa-hedral coordination sphere with two 2,2'-bi-pyridine (bpy) and one quinoline-2-carbaldehyde (pyridine-2-carbon-yl)hydrazone (HL) ligand. The hydrazone ligand has a Z form and coordinates to the Ru(II) atom via the amide-O and imine-N atoms, affording a planar five-membered chelate ring, while its pyridine-N and quinoline-N donor atoms in the substituents are non-coordinating. The hydrazone N-H group forms an intra-molecular hydrogen bond with the quinoline-N atom. In the crystal, the quinoline moiety of HL shows the shortest π-π stacking inter-action with the pyridine substituent of HL in a neighbouring complex, the centroid-to-centroid distance being 3.793 (3) Å.

Synthesis, spectroscopic, crystal structure and DNA binding of Ru(II) complexes with 2-hydroxy-benzoic acid [1-(4-hydroxy-6-methyl-2-oxo-2H-pyran-3-yl)-ethylidene]-hydrazide

Reactions of 2-hydroxy-benzoic acid [1-(4-hydroxy-6-methyl-2-oxo-2H-pyran-3-yl)-ethylidene]-hydrazide (H(2)L) with [RuHCl(CO)(EPh(3))(3)] (E = P or As) were carried out and the new complexes obtained were characterized by elemental analysis, electronic, IR, (1)H NMR and (13)C NMR spectroscopic techniques and single crystal X-ray diffraction studies. Complex (1) crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2(1)/c with unit cell dimensions a=18.6236(17) Å, b=12.8627(12) Å, c=21.683(2) Å, α=90.00, β=114.626(2), γ=90.00 V=4721.8(8) Å, Z=4. The crystal structure of the complex shows Ru(II) atom is six-coordinated, forming a slightly distorted octahedral geometry with two P atoms in axial positions, and three chelating donor atoms of the tridentate Schiff base ligand and one carbonyl group located in the equatorial plane. The molecular structure is stabilized by intramolecular O-H···N interactions. No intermolecular hydrogen bond was observed. The intramolecular hydrogen bond exists between the oxygen atom from salicylic acid moiety and nitrogen from the same moiety. A variety of solution studies were carried out for the determination of DNA binding mode of the complexes. The results suggest that both complexes bind to Herring sperm DNA via non intercalative mode.

Studies on the synthesis, spectra, catalytic and antibacterial activities of binuclear ruthenium(II) complexes

A new series of stable binuclear ruthenium(II) carbonyl complexes of the general formula [{RuX(CO)(EPh(3))(2)}(2)L] (where X=H or Cl; E=P or As and L=dibasic tetradentate diacetyl resorcinol (H(2)-DAR)) have been synthesised by reacting ruthenium(II) starting complexes [RuHX(CO)(EPh(3))(3)] (where X=H or Cl; E=P or As) and 4,6-diacetylresorcinol (H(2)-DAR) ligand in benzene medium. The structure of the new binuclear ruthenium(II) carbonyl complexes was established using elemental analysis, spectra (FT-IR, UV-vis and (1)H NMR), electrochemical and thermal studies. In these reactions, the 4,6-diacetylresorcinol (H(2)-DAR) ligand behaves as a binegative tetradentate chelating ligand coordinating through O,O atoms of both the carbonyl and phenolic C-O groups by replacing a molecule of PPh(3)/AsPh(3) and a hydride ion from the starting complexes. Further, all these complexes were also employed as new catalysts for the oxidation of primary and secondary alcohols in the presence of N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide (NMO) as a more viable co-oxidant. The free ligand and their metal complexes have also been screened for their antibacterial activity against the growth of gram +ve and gram -ve bacterial cultures.

Wirelike Dinuclear Ruthenium Complexes Connected by Bis(ethynyl)oligothiophene

Preparation and characterization of a series of rodlike binuclear ruthenium polyynediyl complexes capped with redox-active organometallic fragments [(bph)(PPh3)2Ru]+ (bph=N-(benzoyl)-N'-(picolinylidene)-hydrazine) or [(Phtpy)(PPh3)2Ru]2+ (Phtpy=4'-phenyl-2,2':6',2' '-terpyridine) have been carried out. The length of the molecular rods is extended by successive insertion of 2,5-thiophene or 1,4-phenylene spacers in the bridging ligands. Oxidation of thiophene-containing Ru2II,II complexes induces isolation of stable Ru2II,III or Ru2III,III species. Electrochemical and UV-vis-NIR spectral studies demonstrate that the polyynediyl bridges with 2,5-thiophene units are more favorable for metal-metal charge transfer compared with those containing the same number of 1,4-phenylene units. Successive increase of thiophene spacers in mixed-valence complexes {RuII}-CC(C4H2S)mCC-{RuIII} (m=1, 2, 3) induced a smooth transition from almost electronic delocalization (m=1) to localization (m=3). For binuclear ruthenium complexes with intramolecular electron transfer transmitted across nine Ru-C and C-C bonds, electronic conveying capability follows {Ru}-CC(CC)2CC-{Ru}>{Ru}-CC(C4H2S)CC-{Ru}>{Ru}-CC(C6H4)CC-{Ru}>{Ru}-CC(CH=CH)2CC-{Ru}. It is revealed that molecular wires capped with electron-rich (bph)(PPh3)2Ru endgroups are much more favorable for electronic communication than the corresponding electron-deficient (Phtpy)(PPh3)2Ru-containing counterparts. The intermetallic electronic communication is fine-tuned by modification of both the bridging spacers and the ancillary ligands.