Effect of metal ion complexation and chalcogen donor identity on the antiproliferative activity of 2-acetylpyridine N,N-dimethyl(chalcogen)semicarbazones

Three chalcogensernicarbazones, viz., 2-acetylpyridine N,N-dimethylsemicarbazone (HL1), 2-acetylpyridine N,N-dimethylthiosemicarbazone (HL2) and 2-acetylpyridine N,N-dimethylselenosemicarbazone (HL3), their corresponding gallium(III) complexes [Ga(L1-3)2]PF6 and the ruthenium(III) compound [Ru(L-2)(2)]PF6 have been prepared and characterised by X-ray crystallography and spectroscopic techniques (IR, UV/vis, H-1, C-13, N-15, Se-77 NMR) in order to elucidate the effect of metal ion complexation and chalcogen donor identity on the cytotoxicity of chalcogensemicarbazones in two human tumour cell lines 41 M (ovarian carcinoma) and SK-BR-3 (mammary carcinoma). (c) 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.