Antitumor activity of an ionic titanocene tetrachloroferrate derivative against some solid experimental tumors.

The metallocene complex bis(cyclopentadienyl)acetonitrilechlorotitanium(IV) tetrachloroferrate(III) [(C5H5)2Ti(Cl)NCCH3]+[FeCl4]- was investigated for antitumor properties against three solid experimental animal tumors (B16 melanoma, colon 38 adenocarcinoma, Lewis lung carcinosarcoma). The growth of all three tumors was inhibited significantly by the titanocene complex. Colon 38 carcinoma and Lewis lung carcinoma revealed to be more sensitive to the titanocene tetrachloroferrate derivative than solid B16 melanoma, whereby the growth development of the aforementioned tumors was suppressed by 70-76% of control tumor size to T/C ratios amounting to 24-30%. Bis(cyclopentadienyl)acetonitrilechlorotitanium(IV) tetrachloroferrate(III) is representative of ionic titanocene complexes which are generally distinguished by improved water solubility in comparison to neutral metallocene compounds.