Relationship between anticancer activity and stereochemistry of saldach ligands and their iron(III) complexes

Abstract

(R,R)-, (S,S)- and (R,S)-N,N′-bis(salicylidene)-1,2- diaminocyclohexane (saldach) and their iron(III) complexes were screened for anticancer activity against MCF-7 and MDA-MB 231 breast cancer as well as HT-29 colon carcinoma cells. Antiproliferative effects depended on the presence of the central atom iron but were independent on the configuration at the saldach ligand. While the free ligands were inactive, the iron(III) derivatives displayed anticancer activity within a concentration range of 1 to 5 μM irrespective of the used cell line. At 5 μM they were even more active than cis-platin. A mode of action comparable to cis-platin can be excluded because it is very likely that the DNA is not the primary target of [FeIII (saldach)] complexes. © 2009 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.