Dinuclear gold(<scp>i</scp>) complexes with <i>N</i>-phosphanyl, N-heterocyclic carbene ligands: synthetic strategies, luminescence properties and anticancer activity

Abstract

A small library of dinuclear gold(I) complexes with the title ligands has been prepared, encompassing neutral, mono- and dicationic complexes. The luminescence properties of the complexes in the solid state have been evaluated, and it turns out that neutral and monocationic complexes not presenting a rigid metallamacrocyclic structure can exhibit rather strong emissions that extend towards the red region of the visible spectrum. The <i>in vitro</i> anticancer activity of the complexes has been also preliminarly evaluated; cytotoxicity seems to correlate with complex lipophilicity, whereas selectivity towards cancer cells can be apparently enhanced upon a judicious choice of the ligands.