Synthesis, characterization and cytotoxic behavior against HeLa of iridium (III) complexes, half sandwich type

• Published in: Pure and applied chemistry
• Main Authors: Florenciano-López, Gloria, Romero-Castellón, Isabel, Canales-Martínez, Alfonso, Pérez-Pastor, Rosa María, Víllora-Cano, Gloria, García-Sánchez, Gabriel
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 11.04.2025
• ISSN: 0033-4545; 1365-3075
• DOI: 10.1515/pac-2024-0386

In this paper, we describe the synthesis and characterization of iridium (III) half sandwich complexes of stoichiometry [Cp + IrCl 2 L] with Cp +  = η 5 -C 5 EtMe 4 ; L = alanine anhydride (I), ortho- (II) and para -aminophenol (III). For comparative purposes, the ionic complex [Cp*IrCl( o -phen)](PF 6 ); Cp* = (η 5 -C 5 Me 5 ) (IV) has been also synthesized and characterized. All the isolated complexes have been characterised by C, H and N elemental analysis; infrared and 1 H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopies; 1 H– 1 H COSY; mass spectrometry (ESI/TOF), thermogravimetry and, in the case of (IV), by conductivity measurements. The cytotoxic behaviour of the isolated complexes was studied against HeLa and complexes (III) and (IV) were found to have an IC 50 close to 160–170 μm, quite close to the IC 50 value of cisplatin which was found to be 134.7 μm, indicating that they are good cytotoxic agents. However, complexes (I) and (II) showed IC 50 values above 250 μm indicating their low cytotoxicity.