[Fe(III)(MeO‐salen)Cl] complexes and their in vitrocytotoxicity against KB and HepG2 human cancer cells

Methoxy‐substituted iron(III)‐salen complexes ([Fe(III)(MeO‐salen)Cl] with salen = N,N’‐bis(salicylidene)‐1,2‐ethylenediimine) were synthesized and structurally analyzed. Their in vitrocytotoxicity against KB and HepG2 human cancer cells was examined. The obtained results obviously demonstrated the correlation between the cytotoxicity of the complexes and the position of methoxy substituents in the salicylidene moieties as the following; 3‐OCH3< H ~ 6‐OCH3< 4‐OCH3< 5‐OCH3.