Anticancer Properties of Au(III) Complexes

I. A. Lutsenkoa, *, O. V. Losevab, A. V. Ivanovb, I. K. Malyantsc, V. O. Shenderc, M. A. Kiskina, and I. L. Eremenkoa, d

a Kurnakov Institute of General and Inorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, 119991 Russia

b Institute of Geology and Nature Management, Far Eastern Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Blagoveshchensk, 675000 Russia

c Federal Scientific and Clinical Center for Physical and Chemical Medicine, Federal Medical Biological Agency, Moscow, 119435 Russia

d A.N. Nesmeyanov Institute of Organoelement Compounds of Russian Academy of Sciences (INEOS RAS), Moscow, 119435 Russia

Correspondence to: *e-mail: irinalu05@rambler.ru

Received 26 May, 2022

Abstract—The reaction of a solution of H[AuCl4] with 1,10-phenanthroline (Phen) in acetonitrile gave the complex (H2Phen)[AuCl4]Cl (I). According to X-ray diffraction data (CCDC no. 2165199), Phen exists in I as an unusual doubly protonated (cationic) form (H2Phen)2+. Binding of ionic structural units ([AuCl4], Cl, and (H2Phen)2+) by D–H···Cl hydrogen bonds (D = N, C) gives rise to supramolecular 2D pseudo-polymer layers. The biological activity of I was measured for human ovarian carcinoma cells (SKOV3). Using MTT assay results, the half-maximal inhibitory concentration was calculated, demonstrating high selectivity of I to cancer cells in combination with low toxicity towards normal fibroblasts.

Keywords: gold(III), 1,10-phenanthroline, molecular structure, biological activity, ovarian adenocarcinoma, cytotoxicity

DOI: 10.1134/S1070328422700178