Bis(diphenylphosphino)amines-containing ruthenium cymene complexes as potential anti-Mycobacterium tuberculosis agents.

Several ruthenium complexes have been investigated regarding anti- Mycobacterium tuberculosis (anti-MTb) activity, with some diphosphine-containing ruthenium complexes comparable to first and second line drugs. However, to the best of our knowledge, there is no P N P-containing ruthenium complexes applied as metallodrugs. Thus, this study focused on the synthesis, characterization and anti-MTb activity of a new series of coordination compounds with general formula [RuCl(η 6 - p -cymene)(P N R P)]X (R = CH 2 Py (Py = pyridine) − [1a] , CH 2 Ph (Ph = phenyl) − [1b] , Ph − [1c] and p -tol ( p -tol = p -tolyl) − [1d] ; X = PF 6 − or BF 4 − ). The complexes were fully characterized by NMR ( 1 H, 31 P{ 1 H}), vibrational spectroscopy (FTIR), ESI-MS, molar conductance, elemental analysis and X-ray diffraction studies. The molecular structures of [1a] PF 6 , [1c] BF 4 and [1d] PF 6 were determined and confirm the spectroscopic and ESI-MS data. The complexes were used in anti-MTb trials, and the preliminary results are presented. The complexes are promising anti-MTb agents with MIC 90 (Minimum Inhibitory Concentration of compounds required to inhibit the growth of 90% of MTb) values comparable with the Ethambutol, the reference drug used in this work, and complex [1a] BF 4 presented the highest selectivity index. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]