Metal and Substituent Influence on the Cytostatic Activity of Cationic Bis‐cyclometallated Iridium and Rhodium Complexes with Substituted 1,10‐Phenanthrolines as Ancillary Ligands

Abstract

Synthesis and characterization of the new cyclometalated complex salts [Rh(ptpy)2(5.6‐dimethyl‐1,10‐phenanthroline)]PF6 (1a) [Rh(ptpy)2(2.9‐dimethyl‐4.7‐diphenyl‐1,10‐ phenanthroline)]PF6 (2a), [Rh(ptpy)2(5‐amino‐1,10‐phenanthroline)] PF6 (3a), and [M(ptpy)2 (pyrazino‐[2.3‐f]‐1,10‐phenanthroline)]PF6 (M = Rh, 4a; M = Ir, 4b), (ptpy = 2‐(p‐tolyl)pyridinato) are described. The molecular structures of compounds 1b and 4a in the solid state were determined by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction. All these compounds and their already known Iridium counterparts 1b – 3b display significant cytotoxicity against human cancer cell lines MCF‐7 (human breast adenocarcinoma) and HT‐29 (colon adenocarcinoma) with IC50 values in the low micromolar range.