Multifaceted chemical behaviour of metallocene (M = Fe, Os) quinone methides. Their contribution to biology

Organometallic quinone methides (OM-QMs) have unique chemical and biological properties compared to their purely organic counterparts, but originality has not previously been delineated in review form. These phenomena are particularly evident when they incorporated into a judiciously chosen substrate, this specific case the ferrocifens, bioorganometallic modifications of hydroxytamoxifen, antiestrogen reference. The newly created architecture reveals an embedded ferrocenyl-ene-phenol motif that is key formation metallocene by reversible oxidation, either chemically, electrochemically or enzymatically, whereby sandwich unit functions as redox antenna. In cancer cells, QMs primary metabolites behave selective electrophiles undergo Michael additions with thiols selenols proteins crucial maintaining balance, thus generating disruption cell metabolism. Within class complexes, ferrocifens most cytotoxic iron, ruthenium, osmium triad against wide range while allows complexes be used imaging probe. We describe here syntheses structures ferrocifen derivatives carrying substituted alkyl, imido hydroxyalkyl chains allow access new types biologically effective methides. potential OM-QMs chemistry biology demonstrated its diversity.