Heterometallic Rhodium Complexes in Cancer Treatment

Abstract: Various transition metals have been studied as possible anticancer agents, particu-larly the elements of group IXB (Rh, Ir, Pd) and their coordination compounds. The design of polynuclear complexes comprising diverse metal cations with different biological activities and mechanisms of action has raised substantial scientific interest. The synergism of different metal centers is expected to contribute to the improvement of bioactivity, such as modifying the antineoplastic potential and expanding the biotargets and biodistribution characteristics. Among the described polynuclear antitumor compounds, rhodium complexes have garnered considerable attention despite their relatively limited history. This article aims to highlight the current advances of multinuclear heterometallic rhodium complexes as potent anticancer candidates. Whereas many reports have focused on monometallic Rh complexes, the potential of multinuclear heterometallic rhodium-based complexes remains relatively understudied, probably due to their characteristic kinetic inertness and stability.