Indium(III)-terpyridine complexes: synthesis, structures and remarkable antifungal and anticancer activities

Area of Science:

• Inorganic Chemistry
• Medicinal Chemistry
• Coordination Chemistry

Background:

• 2,2';6',2''-terpyridine (tpy) is a popular chelating ligand.
• Indium(III) complexes with tpy ligands are underexplored.
• Non-radioactive indium offers potential therapeutic applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• Synthesize and characterize novel indium(III)-tpy complexes.
• Investigate the bioactivity of these complexes.
• Evaluate their potential as antifungal and anticancer agents.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of three mononuclear indium(III) complexes (In-1, In-2, In-3).
• Structural characterization using X-ray crystallography.
• In vitro bioactivity assays (antifungal and cytotoxicity).

Main Results:

• Successfully synthesized and characterized In-1, In-2, and In-3.
• Observed two polymorphs for In-2.
• Demonstrated fungicidal activity against *Candida albicans* and other *Candida* species.
• Showed significant antiproliferative effects against human breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7, MDA-MB 468).

Conclusions:

• Indium(III) complexes with tpy derivatives exhibit promising antifungal properties.
• These complexes display notable anticancer activity against human breast cancer cells.
• Further research into these compounds could lead to new therapeutic strategies.