Synthesis, characterisation and cytotoxic properties of the N1,N4-diarylidene-S-methyl-thiosemicarbazone chelates with Fe(III) and Ni(II).

Reactions of 2-hydroxy-3-methoxy, 2-hydroxy-4-methoxy-benzaldehyde with 3- and 4-methoxy-substituted salicylaldehyde S-methyl-thiosemicarbazones in the presence of FeCl(3) and NiCl(2) resulted in the corresponding methoxy-substituted N(1),N(4)-diarylidene-S-methyl-thiosemicarbazone chelates. Characterisation of the compounds in the [Fe(L)Cl] and [Ni(L)] general formula was accomplished by means of elemental analysis, conductivity and magnetic measurements, (1)H NMR, UV-vis, IR and mass spectroscopy. Cytotoxicity and proliferation experiments using K562 chronic myeloid leukemia cell line and ECV 304 human endothelial cell line imply that the iron(III) chelates may have anti-leukemic effects with 3.5 microg/dl LD(50) dose.