SYNTHESIS, STRUCTURE OF NITROGEN-CONTAINING PHOSPHINOGOLD(I) FERROCENES. IN VITRO ACTIVITY AGAINST BLADDER AND COLON CARCINOMA CELL LINES

The gold salt [(tht)AuCI] was reacted with [1-N,N-dimethylaminomthyl-2-diphenylphosphino]ferrocene (1) forming the bimetallic derivative 4. The reaction of methyl iodide and tetramethylammonium bromide on the chloride 4 produced the ammonium salt 5 and the bromide 6 respectively. New aminophosphines 2 and 3, which represent two of the rare phosphorylated metallocenes containing P(III)-N bond have also been coordinated to gold(I) to form 7 and 8. The presence of the ethoxy group in 7 provides evidence for the lability of one nitrogen-phosphorus bond. The X-ray structure of compounds 4 and 7 have been established. Both crystallize in space group P21/c, monoclinic, with a 11.095(2) , b = 12.030(3) , c = 17.763(4) , I = 94.02(2), Z 4 for 4 and a 14.863(3) , b 8.036(5) , c 18.062(5)/,, I] 101.64(1), Z = 4 for 7.197Au MOssbauer data are in good agreement with those for other linear P-Au-CI containing complexes. The compounds were evaluated for in vitro anti-tumour activity against two human tumours. Differential cytotoxicity was observed with activity comparable to cisplatin, with the exception of one compound which was significantly more cytotoxic