Titanium isopropoxide complexes supported by pyrrolyl Schiff base ligands: syntheses, structures, and antitumor activity

Abstract

The syntheses, structures and antitumor activity of four titanium isopropoxide complexes supported by pyrrolyl Schiff base ligands are reported. Treatment of Ti(OⁱPr)₄ with 2 equivalents of HL1 (HL1 = N-(1H-pyrrol-2-ylmethylene)(2-pyridinyl)methanimine), HL2 (HL2 = 2-pyrrolecarbaldmethylimine), HL3 (HL3 = N-((1H-pyrrol-2-yl)methylene)(phenyl)methanimine) and HL4 (HL4 = N-((1H-pyrrol-2-yl)methylene)-2-phenylethanimine), respectively, results in the formation of Ti(OⁱPr)₂(L1)₂ (1), Ti(OⁱPr)₂(L2)₂ (2), Ti(OⁱPr)₂(L3)₂ (3) and Ti(OⁱPr)₂(L4)₂ (4). All complexes have been characterized by elemental analyses and NMR studies. The solid-state structures of complexes 1 and 3 have been further established by single X-ray crystallography. The cytotoxicity activities of 1–4 towards the tumor cells HCT-116, PC3 and MCF-7 were measured. Complexes 1, 2 and 3 showed good antitumor properties.