Metal-based Anticancer Agents

Synthesis and Anticancer Properties of Heterobimetallic Fe(II)/Pd(II) Complexes Bearing Different Butadienyl Fragments.

Thomas Scattolin, Enrica Bortolamiol, Maria Dalla Pozza, Nicola Demitri, Flavio Rizzolio, Fabiano Visentin and Gilles Gasser.

DOI https://doi.org/10.1002/ejic.202400322

Eur. J. Inorg. Chem. 2024, e202400322.


Synthesis and Anticancer Activity of Palladium-Butadienyl Complexes Bearing Picolyl-NHC and Phosphine Ligands.

Thomas Scattolin, Matteo Mauceri, Nicola Demitri, Flavio Rizzolio and Fabiano Visentin.

DOI https://doi.org/10.1002/ejic.202400303

Eur. J. Inorg. Chem. 2024, e202400303.


Comparative study of the antiproliferative activity of heterometallic carbene gold(I)-platinum(II) and gold(I)-palladium(II) complexes in cancer cell lines.

Martin C. Dietl, Melina Maag, Sophia Ber, Frank Rominger, Matthias Rudolph, Isabella Calingiuri, Pacome K. Andele, Ibraheem A. I. Mkhalid, Flavio Rizzolio, Pablo A. Nogara, Laura Orian, Thomas Scattolin and A. Stephen K. Hashmi.

DOI https://doi.org/10.1039/D4SC04585H

Chem. Sci., 2024, Advance Article.


Liposomal Formulations of Metallodrugs for Cancer Therapy.

Eleonora Botter, Isabella Caligiuri, Flavio Rizzolio, Fabiano Visentin and Thomas Scattolin.

DOI https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25179337

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25, 9337.


Palladium(II)-Indenyl Complexes Bearing N-Heterocyclic Carbene (NHC) Ligands as Potent and Selective Metallodrugs toward High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer Models.

Enrica Bortolamiol, Matteo Mauceri, Rachele Piccolo, Enrico Cavarzerani, Nicola Demitri, Chiara Donati, Valentina Gandin, Simona Kranjc Brezar, Urska Kamensek, Maja Cemazar, Vincenzo Canzonieri, Flavio Rizzolio, Fabiano Visentin and Thomas Scattolin.

DOI https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jmedchem.4c01203

J. Med. Chem, Accepted article.


Antibody Drug Conjugates for Cancer Therapy: From Metallodrugs to Nature-Inspired Payloads.

Giovanni Tonon, Flavio Rizzolio, Fabiano Visentin and Thomas Scattolin.

DOI https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25168651

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(16), 8651.


Unlocking the Potential of Organopalladium Complexes for High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer Therapy.

Thomas Scattolin, Enrico Cavarzerani, Dario Alessi, Matteo Mauceri, Eleonora Botter, Giovanni Tonon, Isabella Caligiuri, Ombretta Repetto, Urska Kamensek, Simona Kranjc Brezar, Maria Dalla Pozza, Stefano Palazzolo, Maja Cemazar, Vincenzo Canzonieri, Nicola Demitri, Steven Patrick Nolan, Gilles Gasser, Fabiano Visentin and Flavio Rizzolio. 

DOI https://doi.org/10.26434/chemrxiv-2024-bd942

ChemRxiv, 2024


Reactivity of Palladium(II)‑η3‑Allyl Complexes with Chalcogenolates: A Density Functional Study of Their Antitumor Implications.

Andrea Madabeni, Thomas Scattolin, Enrica Bortolamiol, Fabiano Visentin and Laura Orian.

DOI https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.organomet.3c00514

Organometallics, 2024, 43, 954.


Dinuclear NHC–gold(I)–thiolato and –alkynyl complexes: synthesis, anticancer activity, and catalytic activity in lactonization reactions.

Xinyuan Ma, Yuan Zhao, Isabella Caligiuri, Flavio Rizzolio, Nestor Bracho Pozsoni, Kristof Van Hecke, Thomas Scattolin and Steven P. Nolan.

DOI https://doi.org/10.1039/D4DT00890A

Dalton Trans., 2024, 53, 7939.


Unveiling the promising anticancer activity of palladium(II)-aryl complexes bearing diphosphine ligands: a structure-activity relationship analysis.

Giovanni Tonon, Matteo Mauceri, Enrico Cavarzerani, Rachele Piccolo, Claudio Santo, Nicola Demitri, Laura Orian, P. A. Nogara, J. B. T. Rocha, Vincenzo Canzonieri, Flavio Rizzolio, Fabiano Visentin and Thomas Scattolin.

DOI https://doi.org/10.1039/D4DT00919C

Dalton Trans., 2024, 53, 8463.


Synergistic applications of cyclodextrin-based systems and metal–organic frameworks in transdermal drug delivery for skin cancer therapy.

Thomas Scattolin, Giovanni Tonon, Eleonora Botter, Viviana Claudia Canale, Mahdi Hasanzadeh, Denise  Maria Cuscela, Annamaria Buschini, Atefeh Zarepour, Arezoo Khosravi, Marco Cordani, Flavio  Rizzolio and Ali Zarrabi.

DOI https://doi.org/10.1039/D4TB00312H

J. Mater. Chem. B, 2024, 12, 3807. Advance Article.


Platinum(0)-n2-1,2-(E)ditosylethene Complexes Bearing Phosphine, Isocyanide and N-Heterocyclic Carbene Ligands: Synthesis and Cytotoxicity towards Ovarian and Breast Cancer Cells.

Nicola Compagno, Rachele Piccolo, Enrica Bortolamiol, Nicola Demitri, Flavio Rizzolio, Fabiano Visentin and Thomas Scattolin.

DOI https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29051119

Molecules 2024, 29, 1119.


Palladium(II)-Imidoyl Complexes: A New Piece in the Puzzle of Organopalladium Anticancer Agents.

Enrica Bortolamiol, Sofia Novaselich, Chiara Tupini, Sofia Fagnani, Roberto Gambari, Nicola Demitri, Ilaria Lampronti, Fabiano Visentin and Thomas Scattolin.

DOI https://doi.org/10.1002/ejic.202300673

Eur. J. Inorg. Chem. 2024, e202300673.


Rational Design of Palladium(II) Indenyl and Allyl Complexes Bearing Phosphine and Isocyanide Ancillary Ligands with Promising Antitumor Activity

Enrica Bortolamiol, Eleonora Botter, Enrico Cavarzerani, Matteo Mauceri, Nicola Demitri, Flavio Rizzolio, Fabiano Visentin and Thomas Scattolin.

DOI https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules29020345

Molecules 2024, 29, 345.


Gold-Catalyzed Formal [4+2] Cyclo additionas Access to Antitumor-Active Spirocyclic Oxindoles from Alkynes and Isatin-Derived Ketimines.

Yaowen Liu, Martin C. Dietl, Robin Heckershoff, Chunyu Han, Hongwei Shi, Matthias Rudolph, Frank Rominger, Isabella Caligiuri, Kanwal Asif, Muhammad Adeel, Thomas Scattolin and A. Stephen K. Hashmi.

DOI        https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.202304672

Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2023, 62, e202304672.


Biological and Catalytic Applications of Pd(II)-Indenyl Complexes Bearing Phosphine and N-Heterocyclic Carbene Ligands.

Enrica Bortolamiol, Giacomo Isetta, Isabella Caligiuri, Nicola Demitri, Stefano Paganelli, Flavio Rizzolio, Thomas Scattolin and Fabiano Visentin.

DOI        https://doi.org/10.1002/ejic.202300084

Eur. J. Inorg. Chem. 2023, 26, e202300084. Part of the “NHC-Ligands in Organometallic Chemistry and Catalysis” Special Collection.


Combined Treatment of Cancer Cells Using Allyl Palladium Complexes Bearing Purine-Based NHC Ligands and Molecules Targeting MicroRNAs miR-221-3p and miR-222-3p: Synergistic Effects on Apoptosis.

Chiara Tupini, Matteo Zurlo, Jessica Gasparello, Irene Lodi, Alessia Finotti, Thomas Scattolin, Fabiano Visentin, Roberto Gambari and Ilaria Lampronti.

DOI        https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics15051332

Pharmaceutics 2023, 15, 1332.


Antioxidant Chimeric Molecules: Are Chemical Motifs Additive? The Case of a Selenium-Based Ligand.

Davide Zeppilli, Anna Aldinio-Colbachini, Giovanni Ribaudo, Cristina Tubaro, Marco Dalla Tiezza, Marco Bortoli, Giuseppe Zagotto and Laura Orian.

DOI        https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241411797

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24, 11797.


Reactions of proteins with a few organopalladium compounds of medicinal interest.

Lara Massai, Thomas Scattolin, Matteo Tarchi, Fabiano Visentin, Luigi Messori.

DOI        https://doi.org/10.1039/d2ra05332b

RSC Adv., 2022, 12, 26680.


Cationic palladium(II)-indenyl complexes bearing phosphines as ancillary ligands: synthesis, and study of indenyl amination and anticancer activity.

Enrica Bortolamiol, Francesco Fama, Ziyun Zhang, Nicola Demitri, Luigi Cavallo, Isabella Caligiuri, Flavio Rizzolio, Thomas Scattolin and Fabiano Visentin.

DOI        https://doi.org/10.1039/d2dt01821g

Dalton Trans., 2022, 51, 11135.


Indenyl and Allyl Palladate Complexes Bearing N-Heterocyclic Carbene Ligands: an Easily Accessible Class of New Anticancer Drug Candidates.

Thomas Scattolin, Ilenia Pessotto, Enrico Cavarzerani, Vincenzo Canzonieri, Laura Orian, Nicola Demitri, Claudia Schmidt, Angela Casini, Enrica Bortolamiol, Fabiano Visentin, Flavio Rizzolio and Steven P. Nolan.

DOI https://doi.org/10.1002/ejic.202200103

Eur. J. Inorg. Chem. 2022, e202200103. Part of the “EurJIC Talents” Special Collection.


Synthesis, characterization, and anticancer activity of ferrocenyl complexes bearing different organopalladium fragments.

Thomas Scattolin, Giulia Moro, Anita Serena, Alessia Guadagnin Pattaro, Flavio Rizzolio, Vincenzo Canzonieri, Nicola Demitri, Enrica Bortolamiol, Ligia Maria Moretto and Fabiano Visentin.

DOI        https://doi.org/10.1002/aoc.6629

Appl Organomet Chem. 2022; 36: e6629


A simple synthetic entryway into new families of NHC–gold-amido complexes and their in vitro antitumor activity.

Ekaterina A. Martynova, Thomas Scattolin, Enrico Cavarzerani, Min Peng, Kristof Van Hecke, Flavio Rizzolio and Steven P. Nolan.

DOI        https://doi.org/10.1039/d2dt00239f

Dalton Trans., 2022, 51, 3462.


A simple synthetic entryway into (N-heterocyclic carbene) gold-steroidyl complexes and their anticancer activity.

Thomas Scattolin, Petra Lippmann, Marek Beliš, Kristof van Hecke, Ingo Ott and Steven P. Nolan.

DOI        https://doi.org/10.1002/aoc.6624

Appl Organomet Chem. 2022; e6624.


Synthesis, Structural Characterization and Antiproliferative Activity of Gold(I) and Gold(III) Complexes Bearing Thioether-Functionalized N-Heterocyclic Carbenes.

Riccardo De Marco, Marco Dal Grande, Marco Baron, Laura Orian, Claudia Graiff, Thierry Achard, Stéphane Bellemin-Laponnaz, Alexander Pöthig, and Cristina Tubaro.

DOI        https://doi.org/10.1002/ejic.202100495 

Eur. J. Inorg. Chem. 2021, 4196–4206 (Part of the joint “ECPM Strasbourg Institute Feature” Collection with EurJOC).


Dinuclear gold(I) complexes with N-phosphanyl, N-heterocyclic carbene ligands: synthetic strategies, luminescence properties and anticancer activity.

Gianmarco Trevisan, Valentina Vitali, Cristina Tubaro, Claudia Graiff, Anatoliy Marchenko, Georgyi Koidan, Anastasiia N. Hurieva, Aleksandr Kostyuk, Matteo Mauceri, Flavio Rizzolio, Gianluca Accorsi and Andrea Biffis.

DOI        https://doi.org/10.1039/d1dt02444b

Dalton Trans., 2021, 50, 13554.


Synthesis and anticancer activity of Pt(0)-olefin complexes bearing 1,3,5-triaza-7-phosphaadamantane and N-heterocyclic carbene ligands.

Thomas Scattolin, Giorgia Valente, Lara Luzietti, Michele Piva, Nicola Demitri, Ilaria Lampronti, Roberto Gambari and Fabiano Visentin.

DOI        https://doi.org/10.1002/aoc.6438

Appl Organomet Chem. 2021; 35; e6438.


Imidazo[1,5-a]pyridine-3-ylidenes and dipyridoimidazolinylidenes as ancillary ligands in Palladium allyl complexes with potent in vitro anticancer activity.

Thomas Scattolin, Giovanni Andreetta, Matteo Mauceri, Flavio Rizzolio, Nicola Demitri, Vincenzo Canzonieri and  Fabiano Visentin.

DOI        https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jorganchem.2021.122014

Journal of Organometallic Chemistry 952 (2021) 122014.


Synthesis, characterization and anticancer activity of palladium allyl complexes bearing benzimidazole-based N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands.

Thomas Scattolin, Andrea Piccin, Matteo Mauceri, Flavio Rizzolio, Nicola Demitri, Vincenzo Canzonieri and  Fabiano Visentin.

DOI        https://doi.org/10.1016/j.poly.2021.115381

Polyhedron, 207 (2021), 115381.


A critical review of palladium organometallic anticancer agents.

Thomas Scattolin, Valdislav A. Voloshkin, Fabiano Visentin and Steven P. Nolan.

DOI        https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xcrp.2021.100446

Cell Reports Physical Science 2, 100446, June 23, 2021.


Straight forward synthetic route to gold(I)-thiolato glycoconjugate complexes bearing NHC ligands (NHC = N-heterocyclic carbene) and their promising anticancer activity.

Mauro Safir Filho, Thomas Scattolin, Pascal Dao, Nikolaos V. Tzouras, Rachida Benhida, Marina Saab, Kristof Van Hecke, Petra Lippmann, Anthony R. Martin, Ingo Ott and Steven P. Nolan.

DOI         https://doi.org/10.1039/d1nj02117f

New J. Chem., 2021, 45, 9995.