A novel microwave-assisted synthetic method has been used to synthesise a series of mixed ligand ruthenium(II) compounds containing diimine as well as bidentate thiosemicarbazone ligands. The compounds contain the diimine 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) or 2,2′-bipyridine (bpy) and the thiosemicarbazone is derived from 9-anthraldehyde. Based on elemental analyses and spectroscopic data, the compounds are best formulated as [(phen) 2 Ru(thiosemicarbazone)](PF 6 ) 2 and [(phen) 2 Ru (thiosemicarbazone)](PF 6 ) 2 where thiosemicarbazone = 9-anthraldehydethiosemicarbazone, 9-anthraldehyde-N(4)-methylthiosemicarbazone, and 9-anthraldehyde-N(4)-ethylthiosemicarbazone. Fluorescence competition studies with ethidium bromide, along with viscometric measurements suggests that the complexes bind calf thymus DNA (CTDNA) relatively strongly via an intercalative mode possibly involving the aromatic rings of the diimine ligands. The complexes show good cytotoxic profiles against MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 (breast adenocarcinoma) as well as HCT 116 and HT-29 (colorectal carcinoma) cell lines.

The synthesis and characterization of a number of organometallic ruthenium(II) complexes containing a series of bidentate thiosemicarbazone ligands derived from piperonal is reported. The structure of compounds have been confirmed by spectroscopic analysis (IR and NMR) as well as X-ray crystallographic analysis of [(η6-p-cymene)Ru(pPhTSC)Cl]Cl (4) (pPhTSC is piperonal-N(4)-phenylthiosemicarbazone). The interaction of the complexes ([(η6-p-cymene)Ru(pEtTSC)Cl]Cl) (3) (pEtTSC is piperonal-N(4)-ethylthiosemicarbazone) and 4 with calf thymus DNA, human serum albumin (HSA) and pBR322 plasmid DNA were studied by spectroscopic, gel electrophoresis and hydrodynamic methods. The apparent binding constant for the interaction with DNA was determined to be 3.97 × 103 M−1 and 4.07 × 103 M−1 at 293 K for 3 and 4 respectively. The complexes bind strongly to HSA with binding constants of 2.94 × 104 M−1 and 12.2 × 104 M−1 at 296 K for 3 and 4 respectively. The in vitro anticancer activity of 3 and 4 has been evaluated against two human colon cancer cell line (HCT-116 and Caco-2) with IC50 values in the range 26 – 150 µM. Both 3 and 4 show good activity as a catalytic inhibitor of human topoisomerase II at concentrations as low as 20 µM. The proficiency of 3 and 4 to act as antibacterial agents was also evaluated against six pathogenic bacterial strains with the best activity seen against Gram-positive strains.

A series of half-sandwich arene-ruthenium complexes of the type [(η6-p-cymene) Ru(thiosemicarbazone)Cl]+ have been synthesized and their biological activity investigated. The first structurally characterized arene-ruthenium half-sandwich complex with a thiosemicarbazone ligand is reported.