Cyclometalated gold(iii) complexes with N-heterocyclic carbene ligands as topoisomerase I poisons

Abstract

A panel of stable [Au(R-C--N--C)(N-heterocyclic carbene)](+) complexes displays prominent in vitro anticancer properties; [Au(C--N--C)(IMe)]CF(3)SO(3) (1, IMe = 1,3-dimethylimidazol-2-ylidene) significantly poisons topoisomerase I in vitro and suppresses tumor growth in nude mice model.