ABSTRACT
Several ruthenium-based compounds have been proven to posses interesting biological properties that can lead to innovative drugs, particularly in the field of cancer treatment. The capacity of such compounds to bind to imine groups with a relatively high affinity has raised a great interest about the possibility to develop anticancer agents. The molecular changes accompanying the distribution of cells among cell cycle phases have been investigated for some dinuclear Ru-dmso compounds. As the reduction of NAMI-A-type compounds might occur also in vivo, the chemical behavior of the reduced species is relevant to understanding the biological mechanism of action of these compounds and was thus investigated in detail. The chemical behavior of the unsymmetrical Ru(III)/Ru(III) species 8 after treatment with biological reducing agents in physiological solution resembles that of the corresponding dianionic and neutral dinuclear species 3 and 4.
