Synthesis, characterization, and anticancer activity of a series of ketone-N(4)-substituted thiosemicarbazones and their ruthenium(II) arene complexes.

A series of ketone-N(4)-substituted thiosemicarbazone (TSC) compounds (L1-L9) and their corresponding [(η(6)-p-cymene)Ru(II)(TSC)Cl](+/0) complexes (1-9) were synthesized and characterized by NMR, IR, elemental analysis, and HR-ESI-mass spectrometry. The molecular structures of L4, L9, 1-6, and 9 were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The compounds were further evaluated for their in vitro antiproliferative activities against the SGC-7901 human gastric cancer, BEL-7404 human liver cancer, and HEK-293T noncancerous cell lines. Furthermore, the interactions of the compounds with DNA were followed by electrophoretic mobility spectrometry studies.