Activation mechanisms for organometallic anticancer complexes

Abstract

Organometallic complexes offer potential for design as anticancer drugs. They can act as inert scaffolds and specifically inhibit enzymes such as kinases, or as pro-drugs which undergo activation by various mechanisms. The activation of metallocenes, arene, alkyl or aryl complexes by hydrolysis, and metal- or ligand-based redox reactions is discussed. © 2010 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.