Inclusion of molybdenocene dichloride (Cp2MoCl2) in 2-hydroxypropyl- and trimethyl-β-cyclodextrin: Structural and biological properties

Organometallic-cyclodextrin inclusion compounds were obtained by the treatment of molybdenocene dichloride (Cp2MoCl2) with the modified cyclodextrins (CDs) heptakis-2,3,6-tri-O-methyl-β-CD (TRIMEB) and 2-hydroxypropyl-β-CD (HPβCD) in aqueous solution. The products were isolated by liophilisation and characterised in the solid-state by powder XRD, thermogravimetric analysis, Raman and FTIR spectroscopy, and 13C CP MAS NMR spectroscopy. The results are consistent with inclusion of Cp2MoCl2, rather than hydrolysis products such as [Cp2Mo(H2O)X]+ (X = Cl, OH) or [Cp2Mo(H2O)2]2+. The pure non-included metallocene Cp2MoCl2 and its inclusion compounds with unmodified β-CD, TRIMEB and HPβCD were screened for their potential antiproliferative and cytotoxic activity, in both human cancer and healthy cell lines. Inclusion in CD was found to enhance the cytotoxic effect of Cp2MoCl2, with the TRIMEB adduct displaying the highest anti-tumour activity, along with the lowest toxicity towards non-neoplastic cells.