Gold(i) complexes with t-butyl phosphine and dialkyl dithiocarbamate ligands

Abstract

Gold(I) complexes of formulae [Au{P(t-Bu) 3 }(S 2 CN(CH 3 ) 2 )] (1), and [Au{P(t-Bu) 3 }(S 2 CN(C 2 H 5 ) 2 )] (2) have been prepared by the reaction of equimolar amounts of [Au{P(t-Bu) 3 }(Cl)] with sodium dimethyldithiocarbamate monohydrate, and sodium diethyldithiocarbamate trihydrate respectively. Both complexes (1) and (2) are iso-structural having linear geometry. These gold(I) dithiocarbamate complexes show in vitro cytotoxic activities against A549 (human lung carcinoma), HeLa (human cervical cancer) and MCF7 (human breast cancer) cell lines.

1 . A linear gold complex:
   Au{P(t-Bu) 3 }(S 2 CN(CH 3 ) 2 .   
     
     
         2 . A linear gold complex:
   Au{P(t-Bu) 3 }(S 2 CN(C 2 H 5 ) 2 ).   
     
     
         3 . A method for measuring the cytotoxicity of the compound of  claim 1  in a cell line comprising:
 incubating a cancer cell; 
 contacting the incubated cancer cell with the gold complex to create a first mixture; 
 contacting and mixing the first mixture with a reagent; and 
 measuring cell death. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  further comprising:
 administering the gold complex in a cytotoxically effective amount to a patient in need of treatment for cancer. 
 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the cancer cell is one or more of:
 a HeLa cell line; 
 a A549 cell line; and 
 a MCF7 cell line. 
 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the HeLa cell line is contacted with the gold complex and the gold complex has an IC 50  concentration in the range of 2.070-2.073 μM. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the cancer cell is from a HeLa cell line. 
     
     
         8 . A method for measuring the cytotoxicity of the compound of  claim 2  in a cell line comprising:
 incubating a cancer cell; 
 contacting the incubated cancer cell with the linear gold complex to create a first mixture; 
 contacting and mixing the first mixture with a reagent; and 
 measuring cell death. 
 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  further comprising:
 administering the gold complex in a cytotoxically effective amount to a patient in need of treatment for cancer. 
 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the cancer cell is one or more of:
 a HeLa cell line; 
 a A549 cell line; and 
 a MCF7 cell line. 
 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the HeLa cell line is contacted with the gold complex and the gold complex has an IC 50  concentration in the range of 3.210-3.212 μM.