4-Vinylbenzyl and 2-morpholinoethyl substituted ruthenium (II) complexes: Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation

Abstract

Abstract Recently, the medical applications of organoruthenium complexes have attention attracted to organometallic chemists and biochemists. In this study, 4-vinylbenzyl and 2-morpholinoethyl substituted (NHC)Ru(II)(η6-p-cymene) complexes were synthesized and in vitro DNA binding, cell cytotoxicity (anticancer activity) and genotoxicity properties were determined in order to understand the biological activities. These complexes have been prepared from the 4-vinylbenzyl and 2-morpholinoethyl substituted Ag(I)NHC complexes via transmetallation method. The characterization of the new (NHC)Ru(II)(η6-p-cymene) complexes was performed by using 1H NMR, 13C NMR, FTIR spectroscopy and elemental analysis techniques. Also, molecular structure of complex 1b was obtained with single-crystal X-ray diffraction method. IC50 value of 1b against MCF-7 cell line was determined as 3.61 μM and for 1b, an oxidation effect was observed in the concentrations higher than 50 μg/mL. Comet assay unlike sister chromatid exchange (SCE) analysis data showed correlated results with cytotoxicity as well as DNA binding properties of the complexes.