title: N-Heterocyclic carbene metal complexes in medicinal chemistry.
abstract: Metal complexes with N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands are widely used in chemistry due to their catalytic properties and applied for olefin metathesis among other reactions. The enhanced application of this type of organometallics has over the last few years also triggered a steadily increasing number of studies in the fields of medicinal chemistry, which take advantage of the fascinating chemical properties of these complexes. In fact it has been demonstrated that metal NHC complexes can be used to develop highly efficient metal based drugs with possible applications in the treatment of cancer or infectious diseases. Complexes of silver and gold have been biologically evaluated most frequently but also platinum or other transition metals have demonstrated promising biological properties.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Technische Universität Braunschweig, Beethovenstr. 55, 38106 Braunschweig, Germany.
authors.forename: Luciano
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Oehninger
authors.forename: Riccardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rubbiani
authors.forename: Ingo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ott
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity; D002626:Chemistry, Pharmaceutical; D056831:Coordination Complexes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian / Q000187:drug effects; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D006571:Heterocyclic Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D008697:Methane / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010984:Platinum / Q000737:chemistry; D051381:Rats; D012834:Silver / Q000737:chemistry; D028561:Transition Elements / Q000737:chemistry; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous; D015027:Zebrafish
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D056831:Coordination Complexes; D006571:Heterocyclic Compounds; D028561:Transition Elements; C030011:carbene; D012834:Silver; D010984:Platinum; D008697:Methane