Synthesis, structure, and antiproliferative activity of ruthenium(II) arene complexes with N,O-chelating pyrazolone-based β-ketoamine ligands.

Novel ruthenium half-sandwich complexes containing (N,O)-bound pyrazolone-based β-ketoamine ligands have been prepared, and the solid-state structures of one ligand and five complexes have been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Some of the complexes display moderate cytotoxicity toward the human ovarian cancer cell lines A2780 and A2780cisR, the latter line having acquired resistance to cisplatin.