Silver and ruthenium complexes with anthracene functionalized N-heterocyclic carbene ligands: catalytic and cytotoxicity properties

• Published in: Transition metal chemistry (Weinheim) Vol. 49; no. 5; pp. 365 - 372
• Main Authors: Karataş, Mert Olgun, Keleştemur, Ünzile, Mumcu, Akın, Özdemir, Namık, Erdoğan, Ali, Küçükbay, Hasan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01-10-2024; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Alkynes; Anthracene; Carbenes; Catalysis; Catalytic activity; Catalytic converters; Chemical analysis; Chemical synthesis; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Chlorides; Cytotoxicity; Hydrosilylation; Inorganic Chemistry; Ligands; NMR; Nuclear magnetic resonance; Organometallic Chemistry; Physical Chemistry; Ruthenium compounds; Toxicity testing
• ISSN: 0340-4285; 1572-901X
• DOI: 10.1007/s11243-024-00590-x

In this study, we have synthesized two Ag (
2a
and
2b
) and two Ru (
3a
and
3b
) complexes with anthracene substituted N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands. Ag‒NHC complexes have been synthesized by the interaction of corresponding benzimidazolium chloride and Ag
2
O. Ru‒NHC complexes have been synthesized by the transmetalation reaction between corresponding Ag‒NHC and [RuCl
2
(
p
-cymene)]
2
dimer. The synthesized complexes have been characterized by elemental analysis, NMR (
1
H and
13
C NMR), and mass (high resolution mass spectroscopy, HRMS) spectroscopic techniques. In order to assess the catalytic potential of the Ru‒NHC complexes, we have conducted experiments involving the hydrosilylation of terminal alkynes. Both complexes have exhibited a moderate level of catalytic activity, achieving conversions ranging from 70 to 90%, along with a substantial β-(Z) selectivity within the range of 80–90%. Furthermore, we have also subjected the benzimidazolium chlorides (
1a
and
1b
), Ag‒NHCs and Ru‒NHCs to cytotoxicity testing using human breast cancer cells (MCF-7) and human colorectal cancer cells (Caco-2). The results of these assays have demonstrated that all compounds strongly inhibit the proliferation of both cell lines.