New synthetic routes for the preparation of ruthenium-1,10-phenanthroline complexes. Tests of cytotoxic and antibacterial activity of selected ruthenium complexes.

Abstract

Three novel complexes have been prepared through reactions of precursor [(dmso)₂H][trans-RuCl₄(dmso-S)₂] (P) and 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) at different conditions. Whereas the analogs of mer-[RuCl₃(dmso-S)(phen)] (1) and [Ru(phen)₃]Cl₂·6CH₃OH (3·6CH₃OH) have already been prepared by other synthetic routes before, product (H₃O)[RuCl₄(phen)]·4H₂O (2·4H₂O) is unprecedented. In the latter, isolated from highly acidic medium, one strongly bound dmso molecule in precursor P was substituted by chloride. Biological activity of 1 and previously isolated ruthenium-purine complexes ([mer-RuCl₃(dmso-S)(acv)(CH₃OH)] (4) (acv = acyclovir); [trans-RuCl₄(dmso-S)(guaH)] (5) (guaH = protonated guanine)) was tested and compared. These data show that compounds 1, 4 and 5 are slightly cytotoxic against B-16 malignant melanoma cells but not against non-transformed V-79 cells. It seems that coordinated phen ligand increases the cytotoxicity of 1 in comparison to ruthenium precursor. The inability of tested compounds to induce lysis of bovine erythrocytes suggests that their cytotoxic effect is not due to the membrane damage.