Synthesis, electrochemistry and anticancer activity of novel ferrocenyl phenols prepared via azide-alkyne 1,3-cycloaddition reaction

A series of monophenols and diphenols containing the ferrocene-Ctriazolyl and ferrocene-Ntriazolyl bond were prepared in a cycloaddition reaction of ethynylferrocene with aryl and benzyl azides and in a reaction of azidoferrocene with phenylacetylenes, respectively. The anticancer activity of the prepared compounds against hormone-dependent (MCF-7) and hormone-independent (HCC38) breast cancer cell lines was studied. The investigated compounds exhibited moderate anticancer activity against hormone-independent (IC50 ∼ 15–48 μM) cancer cell line and low activity against hormone-dependent cancer cell line (IC50 ∼ 84–98 μM).