Hexanuclear self-assembled arene-ruthenium nano-prismatic cages: potential anticancer agents

Two novel nano-cage compounds, 8 and 9, were prepared by self-assembly of the ruthenium complexes 4 and 5, and the tripodal donor 1. The cytotoxicity of 8 was found to be considerably stronger than that of cisplatin. The complex 8 inhibited tumor cell proliferation by interfering into regulatory pathways of the cell cycle via apoptosis.