N- ortho-Ferrocenyl benzoyl dipeptide esters: Synthesis, structural characterization and in vitro anti-cancer activity of N-{ ortho-(ferrocenyl)benzoyl}-glycine- l-alanine ethyl ester and N-{ ortho-(ferrocenyl)benzoyl}- l-alanine-glycine ethyl ester

Abstract

N- ortho-ferrocenyl benzoyl dipeptide esters 2– 6 were prepared by coupling ortho-ferrocenyl benzoic acid 1 to the dipeptide ethyl esters GlyGly(OEt) ( 2), GlyAla(OEt) ( 3), GlyPhe(OEt) ( 4), AlaGly(OEt) ( 5) and AlaPhe(OEt) ( 6). The compounds were fully characterized by a range of NMR spectroscopic techniques, mass spectrometry and cyclic voltammetry. The cytotoxicity of 3 and 5 towards lung cancer cells has been determined.