[Fe(III)(MeO-salen)Cl] complexes and their in vitro cytotoxicity against KB and HepG2 human cancer cells

Abstract

Methoxy-substituted iron(III)-salen complexes ([Fe(III)(MeO-salen)Cl] with salen = N,N’-bis(salicylidene)-1,2-ethylenediimine) were synthesized and structurally analyzed. Their in vitro cytotoxicity against KB and HepG2 human cancer cells was examined. The obtained results obviously demonstrated the correlation between the cytotoxicity of the complexes and the position of methoxy substituents in the salicylidene moieties as the following; 3-OCH3 < H ~ 6-OCH3 < 4-OCH3 < 5-OCH3.