Diaminohexopyranosides as Ligands in Half-Sandwich Ruthenium(II), Rhodium(III), and Iridium(III) Complexes

The syntheses of Methyl, 2,3-diamino-4,6-O-benzylidene-2,3-dideoxy-alpha-D-hexopyranosides of glucose, mannose, gulose, and talose and methyl 2-amino-4,6-benzylidene-2,3-dideoxy-3-tosylamido-alpha-D-glucopyranoside are exhaustively presented, as well as their application as ligands in half-sandwich ruthenium(II), rhodium(III), and iridium(III) complexes. The complex formation occurs highly diastereoselectively, creating a stereogenic metal center. The molecular structures of the ligands and their complexes were investigated by X-ray structure analysis, NMR spectroscopy, polarimetry, and DFT methods. The diamino monosaccharide complexes have been subjected to antitumor activity studies. In vitro tests of a few ruthenium complexes against different cancer cell types showed antiproliferative activities 4-10 times lower than that of cisplatin.