The Anticancer Potential of Diiron Vinyliminium Complexes

The project focuses on the design, synthesis, and characterisation of new organometallic diiron complexes and on the evaluation of their potential as anticancer agents. In particular, the conjugation of the diiron core with organic molecules or metal fragments possessing a biological activity was considered, with the aim of studying the effect of the ligation of the two moieties on the anticancer efficacy. The experimental work included synthesis in solution, occasionally under an inert atmosphere, and analytical (via mass spectrometry), spectroscopic (via IR, NMR, UV-Vis), structural (via single-crystal XRD) and electrochemical (via CV and spectroelectrochemistry) characterisation of the compounds. Investigation of the stability and behaviour of the complexes in physiological media, assessment of in vitro cytotoxicity and more detailed biological studies, including cellular assays, were performed as well, in order to ascertain the activity and the mechanism of action.