Cyclometalated gold(III) complexes with N-heterocyclic carbene ligands as topoisomerase I poisons

A panel of stable [Au(R-C boolean AND N boolean AND C)(N-heterocyclic carbene)](+) complexes displays prominent in vitro anticancer properties; [Au(C boolean AND N boolean AND C)(IMe)]CF3SO3 (1, IMe = 1,3-dimethylimidazol-2-ylidene) significantly poisons topoisomerase I in vitro and suppresses tumor growth in nude mice model.