Synthesis, characterization and cytotoxic effect of ring-substituted and ansa-bridged vanadocene complexes

The cytotoxic effect of vanadocene dichloride (Cp2VCl2, 1) and its ring-substituted, (η5-C5H4Me)2VCl2 (2), (η5-C5Me5)2VCl2 (3), (η5-C5H4R)2VCl2 (4: R = MeOCH2CH2–, 5: R = 2-MeOC6H4CH2–, 6: R = 4-MeOC6H4CH2–) and ansa-bridged analogs Me2C(η5-C5H4)2VCl2 (7) and Me4C2(η5-C5H4)2VCl2 (8) was investigated. Synthesis of two new methoxy-functionalized compounds (4 and 5) is described. They were characterized by spectroscopic methods and X-ray diffraction analysis. The cytotoxicity studies were performed with leukemic cells MOLT-4.