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Updated: Jun 17, 2026

The Synthesis, Characterization and Reactivity of a Series of Ruthenium N-triphosPh Complexes
Published on: April 10, 2015
A novel ruthenium(III) complex with a tridentate dianionic P,O,O-ligand showing high cytotoxic activity
Jimmy A van Rijn1, Patricia Marqués-Gallego, Jan Reedijk
1Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Gorlaeus Laboratories, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9502, 2300 Leiden, The Netherlands.
Abstract:
Tris(o-anisyl)phosphane was reacted with ruthenium(III) chloride forming a novel Ru(III) complex of formula [Ru(PAn(3))(P(An)(phenolate)(2))Cl] containing a tridentate dianionic P,O,O-ligand and a bidentate neutral P,O ligand. The tridentate ligand was formed by elimination of two methyl groups from the starting ligand in the reaction with the ruthenium salt. The molecular structure was determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The compound shows a high cytotoxic activity in ovarian cancer cell lines comparable with cisplatin and overcoming cisplatin-resistance.
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