Hydrolytically stable organometallic ruthenium complexes with glucose-based phosphite ligands

New organometallic ruthenium complexes with glucose-based phosphite ligands bearing uracil, thymine, and 5-fluorouracil units as well as the bromide and iodide ligands were synthesized. Compounds bearing the bromide and iodide ligands were found to be more hydrolytically stable than their chloro counterparts. Antiproliferative activity of the synthesized compounds was evaluated against several cancer cell lines. It was found that these compounds are low toxic (IC50 > 100 μmol L−1) and their antiproliferative activity is independent of the nature of the halogen in their structure.