Methoxy-phenyl substituted ansa-titanocenes as potential anti-cancer drugs derived from fulvenes and titanium dichloride.

Starting from 6-(4'-methoxyphenyl)fulvene (1a), 6-(2',4',6'-trimethoxyphenyl)fulvene (1b), or 6-(3',5'-dimethoxyphenyl)fulvene (1c), [1,2-di(cyclopentadienyl)-1,2-di(4'-methoxyphenyl)-ethanediyl] titanium dichloride (2a), [1,2-di(cyclopentadienyl)-1,2-bis(2',4',6'-trimethoxyphenyl)-ethanediyl] titanium dichloride (2b), and [1,2-di(cyclopentadienyl)-1,2-bis(3',5'-dimethoxyphenyl)-ethanediyl] titanium dichloride (2c) were synthesised. When titanocenes 2a-c were tested against pig kidney carcinoma cells (LLC-PK) inhibitory concentrations (IC50) of 2.8 x 10(-4), 3.6 x 10(-4) and 2.1 x 10(-4) M, respectively, were observed.