Synthesis and characterization of gold complexes with N-heterocyclic carbene ligands bearing selenium moieties for biological purposes

Gold NHC complexes and organoselenium compounds have shown promising anticancer properties: combining the two counterparts in a single molecule may result in an enhancement of their cytotoxicity. The synthesis of imidazolium salts bearing selenium moieties was accomplished and the respective gold complexes of general formula [AuCl(NHC)] were obtained via weak base method. The new compounds were characterized by NMR, ESI-MS and XRD analyses. A study of the stability of the compounds in physiological environment was carried out. The effects of the ligand structure, the oxidation state of the metal and the presence of selenium will be discussed on the basis of the properties of the complexes.