Abstract
The reaction of the five-membered C,N-palladacycle [(L)PdCl](2), where LH = 1-methyl-5-phenyl-1H-1,4-benzodiazepin-2(3H)-one, with 1,2-ethanebis(diphenylphosphine), dppe, leads to the formation of the bridged palladacycle. [Pd2L2(m-dppe) Cl-2]3, which was characterised in solution by H-1 and P-31 NMR spectroscopy and in the solid state by X-ray crystallography. Complex 3 was tested in vitro against a number of cell lines. For example, it inhibited K562 leukaemia cells with an IC50 value of 4.3 mu M (1 h exposure) and displayed cathepsin B inhibitory action with an IC50 value of 3 mu M.