Benzyl-substituted metallocarbene antibiotics and anticancer drugs

Abstract

Benzyl-substituted metallocarbene compounds synthesised by our group and others during the past 5 years give a new perspective on their activity as antibiotic and antitumoral drugs. N-heterocyclic carbenes containing an imidazole core were functionalised and their transition metal complexes (M = Ag, Au, Cu, Ru) have shown promising antibacterial as well as anticancer activity in vitro and in vivo. IC₅₀ values in the nanomolar region or antibacterial activity comparable to conventional antibiotics lead the way towards novel drug candidates.