title: Recent Advances in Medicinal Applications of Coinage-Metal (Cu and Ag) N-Heterocyclic Carbene Complexes.
abstract: The fascinating chemical properties of N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) complexes showed them to be a suitable class of complexes to be investigated for their applications as drugs in the treatment of the infectious disease or cancer. In particular, the great structural versatility provided a library of compounds with a low cytotoxic profile, suitable candidates as new anticancer agents. Most of these complexes have shown higher cytotoxicity than cisplatin. In the present review, the medicinal applications of copper(I)- and silver(I)-NHC complexes are summarized. Specifically, azolium precursors and related Cu(I)- and Ag(I)-NHC complexes of functionalized and non-functionalized imidazole-, and benzimidazole-based NHC complexes studied as an alternative to cisplatin as chemotherapeutic agents are reviewed. An outline of the most significant chemical features is presented: copper(I)- and silver(I)-NHC complexes tested as anticancer drugs have been reported and a description of structure-activity relationships was made as far as possible.
authors.forename: Marika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marinelli
authors.affiliation: School of Science and Technology, Chemistry Division, University of Camerino, via S. Agostino 1, 62032 Camerino, Macerata, Italy. carlo.santini@unicam.it.
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Santini
authors.forename: Maura
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pellei
mesh_terms: D002626:Chemistry, Pharmaceutical; D056831:Coordination Complexes / Q000737:chemistry*; D003300:Copper / Q000737:chemistry*; D006571:Heterocyclic Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*; D008697:Methane / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry; D012834:Silver / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D056831:Coordination Complexes; D006571:Heterocyclic Compounds; C030011:carbene; D012834:Silver; D003300:Copper; D008697:Methane