Cobalt-Based Metallo-Mesoionic Carbene Gold Complexes with Antiproliferative Effects

Abstract

We report the facile synthesis of new gold(I) carbene complexes based on a mesoioinic cobaltocenylidene metallocarbene via a fluorinative desilylation reaction. The carbene is characterized by a variety of spectroscopic methods, revealing the lowest HEP value reported for a MIC so far, indicating them to be highly electron donating. The properties of the new class of metallo mesoionic carbenes is further investigated, revealing also exceptionally low TEP values. Electrochemical studies also suggest the cobaltocenium moiety to be further reducible. In addition, the cell growth inhibitory effects of the new metallocarbene complexes were explored in cancer cells and bacteria. The combination of electrochemical activity, exceptional electron donating properties and their putative application in medicinal chemistry, makes these new metallo-MICs a highly interesting new class of ligands.