Arene–ruthenium complexes with ferrocene-derived ligands: Synthesis and characterization of complexes of the type [Ru(η6-arene)(NC5H4CH2NHOC-C5H4FeC5H5)Cl2] and [Ru(η6-arene)(NC3H3N(CH2)2O2C–C5H4FeC5H5)Cl2]

Arene–ruthenium complexes of general formula [Ru(η6-arene)(L)Cl2] where L = NC5H4CH2NHOC–C5H4FeC5H5, arene = p-iPrC6H4Me (1) or C6Me6 (2); L = NC3H3N(CH2)2O2C–C5H4FeC5H5, arene = p-iPrC6H4Me (3) or C6Me6 (4), and diruthenium–arene complexes of general formula [Ru(η6-arene)Cl2]2(L) where L = 1,1′-(NC5H4CH2NHOC)2-C5H4FeC5H4, arene = p-iPrC6H4Me (5) or C6Me6 (6); L = 1,1′-(NC3H3N(CH2)2O2C)2–C5H4FeC5H4, arene = p-iPrC6H4Me (7) or C6Me6 (8) have been synthesized and characterized. The molecular structures of 1 and 3 were confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The in vitro anticancer activities of complexes 1–8 have been studied comparatively to the uncoordinated ligands. The complexes exhibit fairly low cytotoxicities in comparison to related ferrocene-derived arene–ruthenium complexes.