Abstract
Prior investigations from this laboratory concerned with the preparation of new types of organic cations for a variety of biological and nonbiological applications have been extended to the preparation of cation-bearing ligands with nitrogen coordinating sites for use in complexation reactions with ruthenium cores. The syntheses of new cationic ligands as well as ruthenium complexes bearing them are reported here. The introduction of these new types of ligands is intended to provide to the complexes an enhanced ability to interact with DNA, and thereby to have the potential to be enhanced antitumor agents. Preliminary observations of their interactions with DNA are presented.
Highlights
The potential for ruthenium-centered agents to serve as antitumor pharmaceuticals has been known for some time [1]
It is known that particular complexes of ruthenium that can serve as antitumor agents act by binding to DNA of the tumor cells through the basic sites on a DNA chain and crosslinking the DNA chains through linking to a basic site on another chain, preventing cell division and leading to cell death [2, 3]
While the bonds between the nitrogenous ligands and the ruthenium center exhibit strength typical of that of coordinate covalent bonds, strengths less than typical of covalent bonds, they exhibit a kinetic stability that allows them to survive to serve as DNA-binding agents [4]
Summary
The potential for ruthenium-centered agents to serve as antitumor pharmaceuticals has been known for some time [1]. Reaction times of under 3 hours of reflux provide reasonable yields of the monoalkylated 4,4 -bipyridyl salts. The preparations of the ruthenium complexes using the new cationic ligands were performed using standard procedures.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
