The oxidation of plastoquinol by a cytochrome b6f complex: A density functional theory study

The energy profile and the rate of oxidation of trimethylquinol in a model system including the Fe₂S₂ cluster of the cytochrome b ₆ f complex and the surrounding amino acid residues (Cys134-Thr135-His136-Leu137-Gly138-Cys139, Cys152, Cys154-His155-Gly156-Ser157, Tyr159) were calculated by density functional theory (DFT). The limiting stage of quinol oxidation, namely, the transfer of hydrogen from quinol to the nearest nitrogen atom (His155), was an endoergonic process (ΔE = 10.6 kcal/mol), in which the energy barrier E _a = 25.5 kcal/mol had to be overcome. The rate constant for this reaction was evaluated in terms of the Marcus theory using the semiempirical Moser-Dutton equation; the resulting values, k _PCET = 40−170s⁻¹, agreed well with the available experimental data. Original Russian Text ? A.E. Frolov, A.N. Tikhonov, 2009, published in Zhurnal Fizicheskoi Khimii, 2009, Vol. 83, No. 3, pp. 593–595.     

Halogen bonding between substituted chlorobenzene and trimethylamine: Decisive role of σ–hole and C?Cl bond breaking energy

Theoretical studies have been carried out on the halogen bonding interaction between para substituted chlorobenzene (Y C₆H₄Cl, Y = H, NH₂, CH₃, F, CN, NO₂) and N(CH₃)₃ using ab initio MP2/aug‐cc‐pVDZ and DFT based wB97XD/6‐311++G(d,p) methods. The positive electrostatic potential (V_S,max) on the Cl atom and the heterolytic bond breaking enthalpy of the C Cl bond have been calculated and their role on halogen bonding is discussed. The heterolytic bond breaking enthalpy of the C Cl bond is proposed as a measure of the strength of the σ‐hole on Cl atom. The binding strength of the complexes ranging between −6.13 kJ mol⁻¹ and −9.29 kJ mol⁻¹ are linearly related to the V_S,max of the Cl atom and the bond breaking enthalpy of the C Cl bond. In addition, energy decomposition analysis was performed on the halogen bonded complexes via symmetry adapted perturbation theory (SAPT) to predict the dominant energy component and the nature of the N···Cl interaction.     

Benchmarking of Halogen Bond Strength in Solution with Nickel Fluorides: Bromine versus Iodine and Perfluoroaryl versus Perfluoroalkyl Donors

The energetics of halogen bond formation in solution have been investigated for a series of nickel fluoride halogen bond acceptors; trans-[NiF(2-C₅NF₄)(PEt₃)₂] ( A1 ), trans-[NiF{2-C₅NF₃(4-H)}(PEt₃)₂] ( A2 ), trans-[NiF{2-C₅NF₃(4-NMe₂)}(PEt₃)₂] ( A3 ) and trans-[NiF{2-C₅NF₂H(4-CF₃)}(PCy₃)₂] ( A4 ) with neutral organic halogen bond donors, iodopentafluorobenzene ( D1 ), 1-iodononafluorobutane ( D2 ) and bromopentafluorobenzene ( D3 ), in order to establish the significance of changes from perfluoroaryl to perfluoroalkyl donors and from iodine to bromine donors. ¹⁹F NMR titration experiments have been employed to obtain the association constants, enthalpy, and entropy for the halogen bond formed between these donor-acceptor partners in protiotoluene. For A2 – A4 , association constants of the halogen bonds formed with iodoperfluoroalkane ( D2 ) are consistently larger than those obtained for analogous complexes with the iodoperfluoroarene ( D1 ). For complexes formed with A2 – A4 , the strength of the halogen bond is significantly lowered upon modification of the halogen donor atom from I (in D1 ) to Br (in D3 ) (for D1 : 5≤K₂₈₅≤12 m ⁻¹, for D3 : 1.0≤K₁₉₃≤1.6 m ⁻¹). The presence of the electron donating NMe₂ substituent on the pyridyl ring of acceptor A3 led to an increase in −ΔH, and the association constants of the halogen bond complexes formed with D1 – D3 , compared to those formed by A1 , A2 and A4 with the same donors.     

X-ray study of the third polymorphic structure of μ-oxo-bis[(octaethylporphinato)iron(III)]: [(OEPFe)2O)]

Exposure of a dichloromethane solution of [OEPFe^IIICl], where OEP is the dianion of octaethylporphyrin, to dioxygen results in its transformation into the μ-oxo bridged compound [(OEPFe)₂O)]. The structure of [(OEPFe)₂O)] is determined by X-ray diffraction analysis. It contains binuclear centrosymmetric [(OEPFe)₂O]. The Fe atom is five-coordinated to four N atoms of the porphyrin ring and to one bridging O atom. The compound is characterized by an average Fe-N bond length of 2.096 ?. The Fe-O bond distance is 1.7739(12) ?, the Fe-O-Fe bond angle is 180.0° and the two porphyrin rings are parallel. Crystal data: triclinic crystal system, a = 10.915(4) ?, b = 12.951(4) ?, c = 13.403(4) ?, α = 118.06(1)°, β = 100.33(1)°, Γ = 102.43°, space group, V = 1144.5(1) ?³, Z = 1.     

Comparative Study of Halogen‐ and Hydrogen‐Bond Interactions between Benzene Derivatives and Dimethyl Sulfoxide

The halogen bond, similar to the hydrogen bond, is an important noncovalent interaction and plays important roles in diverse chemistry‐related fields. Herein, bromine‐ and iodine‐based halogen‐bonding interactions between two benzene derivatives (C₆F₅Br and C₆F₅I) and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) are investigated by using IR and NMR spectroscopy and ab initio calculations. The results are compared with those of interactions between C₆F₅Cl/C₆F₅H and DMSO. First, the interaction energy of the hydrogen bond is stronger than those of bromine‐ and chlorine‐based halogen bonds, but weaker than iodine‐based halogen bond. Second, attractive energies depend on 1/rⁿ, in which n is between three and four for both hydrogen and halogen bonds, whereas all repulsive energies are found to depend on 1/r^8.5. Third, the directionality of halogen bonds is greater than that of the hydrogen bond. The bromine‐ and iodine‐based halogen bonds are strict in this regard and the chlorine‐based halogen bond only slightly deviates from 180°. The directional order is iodine‐based halogen bond>bromine‐based halogen bond>chlorine‐based halogen bond>hydrogen bond. Fourth, upon the formation of hydrogen and halogen bonds, charge transfers from DMSO to the hydrogen‐ and halogen‐bond donors. The CH₃ group contributes positively to stabilization of the complexes.     

Novel C<Subscript>β</Subscript>–C<Subscript>γ</Subscript> Bond Cleavages of Tryptophan-Containing Peptide Radical Cations

In this study, we observed unprecedented cleavages of the C_β–C_γ bonds of tryptophan residue side chains in a series of hydrogen-deficient tryptophan-containing peptide radical cations (M^•+) during low-energy collision-induced dissociation (CID). We used CID experiments and theoretical density functional theory (DFT) calculations to study the mechanism of this bond cleavage, which forms [M – 116]⁺ ions. The formation of an α-carbon radical intermediate at the tryptophan residue for the subsequent C_β–C_γ bond cleavage is analogous to that occurring at leucine residues, producing the same product ions; this hypothesis was supported by the identical product ion spectra of [LGGGH – 43]⁺ and [WGGGH – 116]⁺, obtained from the CID of [LGGGH]^•+ and [WGGGH]^•+, respectively. Elimination of the neutral 116-Da radical requires inevitable dehydrogenation of the indole nitrogen atom, leaving the radical centered formally on the indole nitrogen atom ([Ind]^•-2), in agreement with the CID data for [WGGGH]^•+ and [W_1-CH3GGGH]^•+; replacing the tryptophan residue with a 1-methyltryptophan residue results in a change of the base peak from that arising from a neutral radical loss (116 Da) to that arising from a molecule loss (131 Da), both originating from C_β–C_γ bond cleavage. Hydrogen atom transfer or proton transfer to the γ-carbon atom of the tryptophan residue weakens the C_β–C_γ bond and, therefore, decreases the dissociation energy barrier dramatically.     

Properties of halogen atoms for representing intermolecular electrostatic interactions related to halogen bonding and their substituent effects

The electrostatic properties of halogen atoms are studied theoretically in relation to their ability of halogen bonding, which is an attractive intermolecular interaction of a covalently bonded halogen atom with a negatively charged atom of a neighboring molecule. The electric quadrupole (of electronic origin) with a positive zz component Θ_zz of a covalently bonded halogen atom, where the z axis is taken along the covalent bond involving the halogen atom, is mainly responsible for the attractive electrostatic interaction with a negatively charged atom. This positive Θ_zz is an intrinsic property of halogen atoms with the p_x²p_y²p_z configuration of the valence electronic shell, as shown by ab initio molecular orbital calculations for isolated halogen atoms with this electronic configuration, and increases in the order of F < Cl < Br < I, in parallel with the known general sequence of the strength of halogen bonding. For halogen‐containing aromatic compounds, the substituent effects on the electrostatic properties are also studied. It is shown that the magnitude of Θ_zz and the electric field originating from it are rather insensitive to the substituent effect, whereas the electric field originating from atomic partial charges has a large substituent effect. The latter electric field tends to partially cancel the former. The extent of this partial cancellation is reduced in the order of Cl < Br < I and is also reducible by proper substitution on or within the six‐membered ring of halobenzene. Perspectives on the development of potential function parameters applicable to halogen‐bonding systems are also briefly discussed. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem 2010     

Synthesis and crystal and molecular structures of six-coordinate tin dibromides and diiodides containing lactamomethyl C,O-chelating ligands

New (O−Sn)-bischelate bis(lactamomethyl)dibromo- and-diiodostannanes [L⁽ⁿ⁾]₂SnX₂ (L is the bidentate lactamomethyl C,O-chelating ligand;n is the size of the lactam ring, 5–7; X=Br or I) were prepared both by the direct method from metallic tin and the correspondingN-(halomethyl)lactams and by the reactions of dichlorides [L⁽ⁿ )]₂SnCl₂ with lithium halides. According to the data of X-ray diffraction analysis, the tin atom in [L⁽ⁿ⁾]₂SnBr₂ (n=5–7) and [L⁽ⁿ⁾]₂SnI₂ (n=5 or 6) adopts an octahedral configuration with the carbon atoms intrans positions and the coordinating oxygen and halogen atoms incis-positions with respect to each other. A comparison with the structures of analogous lactamomethyl halide derivatives of five-and six-coordinate Si, Ge, and Sn demonstrates that the spatial structures of the hypervalent fragments containing six-coordinate atoms are less sensitive to the replacement of the halide ligands and the central atom. The covalence of the M−Hal bond increases and the covalence of the M−O bond decreases in the series M=Si, Ge, and Sn. Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 10, pp. 1988–1998, October, 1999.     

Towards a Stronger Halogen Bond Involving Astatine: Unexpected Adduct with Bu3PO Stabilized by Hydrogen Bonding

The halogen bond is a powerful tool for the molecular design and pushing the limits of its strength is of major interest. Bearing the most potent halogen-bond donor atom, astatine monoiodide (AtI) was recently successfully probed [Nat. Chem. 2018 , 10, 428–434]. In this work, we continue the exploration of adducts between AtI and Lewis bases with the tributylphosphine oxide (Bu₃PO) ligand, revealing the unexpected experimental occurrence of two distinct chemical species with 1:1 and 2:1 stoichiometries. The 1:1 Bu₃PO⋅⋅⋅AtI complex is found to exhibit the strongest astatine-mediated halogen bond so far (with a formation constant of 10^(4.24±0.35)). Quantum chemical calculations unveil the intriguing nature of the 2:1 2Bu₃PO⋅⋅⋅AtI adduct, involving a halogen bond between AtI and one Bu₃PO molecular unit plus CH⋅⋅⋅O hydrogen bonds chelating the second Bu₃PO unit.     

Structures,vibrational frequencies,topologies, and energies of hydrogen bonds in cysteine‐formaldehyde complexes

The hydrogen bonding interactions between cysteine (Cys) and formaldehyde (FA) were studied with density functional theory regarding their geometries, energies, vibrational frequencies, and topological features of the electron density. The quantum theory of atoms in molecules and natural bond orbital analyses were employed to elucidate the interaction characteristics in the Cys‐FA complexes. The intramolecular hydrogen bonds (H‐bonds) formed between the hydroxyl and the N atom of cysteine moiety in some Cys‐FA complexes were strengthened because of the cooperativity. Most of intermolecular H‐bonds involve the O atom of cysteine/FA moiety as proton acceptors, while the strongest H‐bond involves the O atom of FA moiety as proton acceptor, which indicates that FA would rather accept proton than providing one. The H‐bonds formed between the CH group of FA and the S atom of cysteine in some complexes are so weak that no hydrogen bonding interactions exist among them. In most of complexes, the orbital interaction of H‐bond is predominant during the formation of complex. The electron density (ρ_b) and its Laplace (?²ρ_b) at the bond critical point significantly correlate with the H‐bond parameter δR, while a linearly relationship between the second‐perturbation energy E(2) and ρ_b has been found as well. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2012     

Modelling the active site of glyceraldehyde-3 phosphate dehydrogenase with the LSCF formalism

In the framework of a theoretical approach to the relationship between structure and reactivity of the catalytic centers of enzymes, glyceraldehyde-3 phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) has been chosen as a model enzyme. In GAPDH, the proximity of His₁₇₆ increases the reactivity of Cys₁₄₉ at neutral pH; however, its presence alone is not sufficient to explain the reactivity of the catalytic Cys. In order to determine which other interactions play an important role, a study of the geometric and electronic structure of the catalytic site has been made using a hybrid quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics local self-consistent field method. This allows the computation of the electronic properties of amino acid residues in subsystems influenced by other parts of the macromolecule. The quantum subsystem was centered on the Cys₁₄₉ residue of GAPDH. The structures of GAPDH taken from the crystallographic database did not include hydrogen atoms and these had to be added taking into account the fact that, in the active site, His₁₇₆ has three tautomeric forms: δ-His protonated, ε-His protonated and His⁺. The results presented here suggest that the most stable His…Cys system in GAPDH is a strongly hydrogen-bonded Cys₁₄₉ ⁻/His₁₇₆ ⁺ ion pair. Received: 24 March 1998 / Accepted: 3 September 1998 / Published online: 23 November 1998     

Behaviour of isomeric methyl ethyl and ethyl methyl halosuccinates under electron impact. Elimination of a halogen atom by a multi-step mechanism

The electron impact mass spectra of isomeric methyl ethyl and ethyl methyl halosuccinates (X = Cl and Br) are surprisingly different. Only the isomers with the ethyl group remote from the halogen give rise to [M - X]⁺ ions. A low-energy collision-induced dissociation study of deuterium-labelled analogues of the former isomers indicates that the [M - X]⁺ ions are mixtures of protonated methyl ethyl maleate (major component, > 85%) and fumarate, and the loss of the halogen atom is a multi-step process including at least two specific hydrogen transfers. Migration of a β-hydrogen atom to the carbonyl oxygen within the ethoxycarbouyl group produces a primary radical site in a distonic intermediate which, by subsequent abstraction of a hydrogen atom from C(3), triggers the ejection of X from C(2) with concomitant double bond formation. Whereas in the other isomer an [M - X]⁺ ion is absent or negligible, a characteristic double loss of C₂H₄ and CO₂ is observed.     

The competition of Y⋯o and X⋯n halogen bonds to enhance the group V σ‐hole interaction in the NCY⋯oPH3⋯NCX and OPH3⋯NCX⋯NCY (X,YF,Cl, and Br) complexes

The positive electrostatic potentials (ESP) outside the σ‐hole along the extension of O? P bond in O?PH₃ and the negative ESP outside the nitrogen atom along the extension of the C? N bond in NCX could form the Group V σ‐hole interaction O?PH₃?NCX. In this work, the complexes NCY?O?PH₃?NCX and O?PH₃?NCX?NCY (X, Y?F, Cl, Br) were designed to investigate the enhancing effects of Y?O and X?N halogen bonds on the P?N Group V σ‐hole interaction. With the addition of Y?O halogen bond, the V _{S, max} values outside the σ‐hole region of O?PH₃ becomes increasingly positive resulting in a stronger and more polarizable P?N interaction. With the addition of X?N halogen bond, the V _{S, min} values outside the nitrogen atom of NCX becomes increasingly negative, also resulting in a stronger and more polarizable P?N interaction. The Y?O halogen bonds affect the σ‐hole region (decreased density region) outside the phosphorus atom more than the P?N internuclear region (increased density region outside the nitrogen atom), while it is contrary for the X?N halogen bonds. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Mechanism of the Tyrosine Ammonia Lyase Reaction—Tandem Nucleophilic and Electrophilic Enhancement by a Proton Transfer

Quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics calculations in tyrosine ammonia lyase (TAL) ruled out the hypothetical Friedel–Crafts (FC) route for ammonia elimination from L ‐tyrosine due to the high energy of FC intermediates. The calculated pathway from the zwitterionic L ‐tyrosine‐binding state (0.0 kcal mol^?1) to the product‐binding state ((E)‐coumarate+H₂N? MIO; ?24.0 kcal mol^?1; MIO=3,5‐dihydro‐5‐methylidene‐4H‐imidazol‐4‐one) involves an intermediate (IS, ?19.9 kcal mol^?1), which has a covalent bond between the N atom of the substrate and MIO, as well as two transition states (TS1 and TS2). TS1 (14.4 kcal mol^?1) corresponds to a proton transfer from the substrate to the N1 atom of MIO by Tyr300? OH. Thus, a tandem nucleophilic activation of the substrate and electrophilic activation of MIO happens. TS2 (5.2 kcal mol^?1) indicates a concerted C? N bond breaking of the N‐MIO intermediate and deprotonation of the pro‐S β position by Tyr60. Calculations elucidate the role of enzymic bases (Tyr60 and Tyr300) and other catalytically relevant residues (Asn203, Arg303, and Asn333, Asn435), which are fully conserved in the amino acid sequences and in 3D structures of all known MIO‐containing ammonia lyases and 2,3‐aminomutases.     

Peptide backbone fragmentation initiated by side‐chain loss at cysteine residue in matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization in‐source decay mass spectrometry

Matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization in‐source decay (MALDI‐ISD) is initiated by hydrogen transfer from matrix molecules to the carbonyl oxygen of peptide backbone with subsequent radical‐induced cleavage leading to c′/z? fragments pair. MALDI‐ISD is a very powerful method to obtain long sequence tags from proteins or to do de novo sequencing of peptides. Besides classical fragmentation, MALDI‐ISD also shows specific fragments for which the mechanism of formation enlightened the MALDI‐ISD process. In this study, the MALDI‐ISD mechanism is reviewed, and a specific mechanism is studied in details: the N‐terminal side of Cys residue (Xxx‐Cys) is described to promote the generation of c′ and w fragments in MALDI‐ISD. Our data suggest that for sequences containing Xxx‐Cys motifs, the N–C_α bond cleavage occurs following the hydrogen attachment to the thiol group of Cys side‐chain. The c?/w fragments pair is formed by side‐chain loss of the Cys residue with subsequent radical‐induced cleavage at the N–C_α bond located at the left side (N‐terminal direction) of the Cys residue. This fragmentation pathway preferentially occurs at free Cys residue and is suppressed when the cysteines are involved in disulfide bonds. Hydrogen attachment to alkylated Cys residues using iodoacetamide gives free Cys residue by the loss of ?CH₂CONH₂ radical. The presence of alkylated Cys residue also suppress the formation of c?/w fragments pair via the (C_β)‐centered radical, whereas w fragment is still observed as intense signal. In this case, the z? fragment formed by hydrogen attachment of carbonyl oxygen followed side‐chain loss at alkylated Cys leads to a w fragment. Hydrogen attachment on peptide backbone and side‐chain of Cys residue occurs therefore competitively during MALDI‐ISD process. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

1,7‐Dideaza‐2′‐deoxy‐6‐nitronebularine: a pyrrolo[2,3‐b]pyridine nucleoside with an intramolecular hydrogen bond stabilizing the syn conformation

The title compound [systematic name: 1‐(2‐deoxy‐β‐D‐erythro‐pentofuranosyl)‐4‐nitro‐1H‐pyrrolo[2,3‐b]pyridine], C₁₂H₁₃N₃O₅, forms an intramolecular hydrogen bond between the pyridine N atom as acceptor and the 5′‐hydroxy group of the sugar residue as donor. Consequently, the N‐glycosylic bond exhibits a syn conformation, with a χ torsion angle of 61.6 (2)°, and the pentofuranosyl residue adopts a C2′‐endo envelope conformation (²E, S‐type), with P = 162.1 (1)° and τ_m = 36.2 (1)°. The orientation of the exocyclic C4′—C5′ bond is +sc (gauche, gauche), with a torsion angle γ = 49.1 (2)°. The title nucleoside forms an ordered and stacked three‐dimensional network. The pyrrole ring of one layer faces the pyridine ring of an adjacent layer. Additionally, intermolecular O—H...O and C—H...O hydrogen bonds stabilize the crystal structure.     

7‐Fluorotubercidin: a halogenated derivative of a naturally occurring nucleoside antimetabolite

The title compound [systematic name: 4‐amino‐5‐fluoro‐7‐(β‐d ‐ribofuranosyl)‐7H‐pyrrolo[2,3‐d]pyrimidine], C₁₁H₁₃FN₄O₄, exhibits an anti glycosylic bond conformation, with a χ torsion angle of −124.7 (3)°. The furanose moiety shows a twisted C2′‐endo sugar pucker (S‐type), with P = 169.8 (3)° and τ_m = 38.7 (2)°. The orientation of the exocyclic C4′—C5′ bond is +sc (gauche, gauche), with a γ torsion angle of 59.3 (3)°. The nucleobases are stacked head‐to‐head. The extended crystal structure is a three‐dimensional hydrogen‐bond network involving O—H...O, O—H...N and N—H...O hydrogen bonds. The crystal structure of the title nucleoside demonstrates that the C—C bonds nearest the F atom of the pyrrole system are significantly shortened by the electronegative halogen atom.     

Synthesis and Structure of Trimethylplatinum(IV) Iodide Complex of 4'-(4-Methoxyphenyl)-2,2':6',2'-terpyridine Ligand and its Halogen Bonding Property

The synthesis and structural characterization of a new trimethylplatinum(IV) iodide complex of 4'-(4-methoxyphenyl)-2,2':6',2''-terpyridine ligand L, {PtMe₃IL} ( 1 ) is reported. The X-ray crystal structure shows that the terpyridine ligand L binds the platinum(IV) metal center in bidentate fashion, which is well supported by the ¹H NMR spectrum of 1 . The complex 1 upon crystallization with 1,4-diiodotetrafluorobenzene (DITFB) forms the halogen bonded complex 1a ( 1· DITFB). The structural investigation shows that 1a exhibits the halogen bonding interaction in which the non-coordinated pyridyl nitrogen acts as halogen bond acceptors by forming I ··· N interaction with iodine atom of DITFB. In addition iodine atom of complex 1 also acts as weak halogen bond acceptor.     

Kinetic and thermochemical parameters of chlorine atom transfer reactions from CF3Cl,CF3CF2Cl,CF2ClCF2Cl,and CF2ClCFCl2 in gas phase

The following reactions: (1) were studied over the temperature ranges 533–687 K, 563–663 K, and 503–613 K for the forward reactions respectively and over 683–763 K, for the back reaction. Arrhenius parameters for chlorine atom transfer were determined relative to the combination of the attacking radicals. The ΔH_r°(1) = ?3.95 ± 0.45 kcal mol^?1 was calculated and from this value the ΔH∮(C₂F₅Cl) = ?2.66.3 ± 2.5 kcal mol^?1 and D(C₂F₅-Cl) = 82.0 ± 1.2 kcal mol^?1 were obtained. Besides, the ΔH_r°(2) was estimated leading to D(CF₂ClCF₂Cl) = 79.2 ± 5 Kcal mol^?1. The bond dissociation energies and the heat of formation are compared with those of the literature. The effect of the halogen substitutents as well as the importance of the polar effects for halogen transfer processes are discussed.     

Synthesis and Cytotoxicity of Arene‐Ru Compounds Containing 4‐Nitroaniline or 2‐Halogenated 4‐Nitroaniline

The compounds [(η⁶‐p‐cymene)RuCl₂(4‐nitroaniline)] and [(η⁶‐p‐cymene)RuCl₂(2‐halogen‐4‐nitroaniline)] were synthesized and characterized by various means. The [(η⁶‐p‐cymene)RuCl₂(4‐nitroaniline)] and [(η⁶‐p‐cymene)RuCl₂(2‐fluoro‐4‐nitroaniline)] compounds were determined by X‐ray diffraction, appearing in a distorted piano‐stool type of arrangement with similar bond lengths and angles around the ruthenium. The compounds exhibited moderate to strong in vitro cytotoxicity against A549 and MCF‐7 human cancer cells. Substitution of heavy halogen atom on the ortho position of para‐nitroaniline weakened the cytotoxicity against both of MCF‐7 and A549, except the cases of fluorine substitution for hydrogen atom regarding A549 and bromine substitution for chlorine atom regarding MCF‐7, which showed minor deviation.