Synthesis, characterization and cytotoxicity studies of methoxy alkyl substituted metallocenes.

Five titanocene derivatives and one zirconium analogous, having cyclopentadienylethenylmethoxy ligand, were synthesized and fully characterized by NMR, FT-IR, and elemental analysis. Two of these complexes showed a good cytotoxic activity on human breast cancer (MCF-7) cell lines. Moreover, the half-titanocene disclosed also a good cytotoxic activity on human embryonic kidney (HEK-293). Additionally, a study on the rate of hydrolysis of these compounds showed that the leaving groups significantly affect the rate of hydrolysis of cyclopentadienyl groups too. The different activity of synthesized compounds was tentatively related to the rate of hydrolysis.