Synthesis and Mode of Action Studies on Iridium(I)–NHC Anticancer Drug Candidates

We report the synthesis, characterization, and biological activity of Ir^I complexes with triazole- (NNHC) and thiazole-based (NSHC) N-heterocyclic carbene ligands. Starting from the dimeric [Ir(COD)Cl]₂, we obtained complexes of composition Ir(COD)(NNHC)Cl (4a), Ir(COD)(NNHC)X (4b: X = Cl; 4bBr: X = Br), [Ir(COD)(NNHC)(NHC)]I (5a), [Ir(COD)(NSHC)₂]Cl (6a), and [Ir(COD)(NSHC)(NNHC)]Cl (6b) by adaptation of established synthetic methods for metal–NHC complexes. Their interactions with model proteins cytochrome c and lysozyme, as well as with the oligonucleotide hexamer (CG)₃ (ODN1), were studied. Although most complexes did not show any strong interactions with these biomolecules, all complexes were active against HT-29 and MCF-7 cancerous cells, with IC₅₀ values ranging between 1 and 60 µm. The most active compounds were the cationic bis(carbene) derivatives 5 and 6. All compounds generated high levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) after incubation for 48 h in MCF-7 cells, possibly suggesting a redox-mediated mechanism of action. Interestingly, there were distinctive differences in the superoxide/(total ROS) ratios induced by the different groups of compounds.