Synthesis and Cytotoxicity Studies of New (Dimethylamino)‐Functionalised and 7‐Azaindole‐Substituted ‘Titanocene’ Anticancer Agents (7‐Azaindole=1H‐Pyrrolo[2,3‐b]pyridine)

From the carbolithiation of 1‐(cyclopenta‐2,4‐dien‐1‐ylidene)‐N,N‐dimethylmethanamine (=6‐(dimethylamino)fulvene; 3 ) and different lithiated azaindoles 2 (1‐methyl‐7‐azaindol‐2‐yl, 1‐[(diethylamino)methyl]‐7‐azaindol‐2‐yl, and 1‐(methoxymethyl)‐7‐azaindol‐2‐yl), the corresponding lithium cyclopentadienide intermediates 4a – 4c were formed (7‐azaindole=1H‐pyrrolo[2,3‐b]pyridine). The latter underwent a transmetallation reaction with TiCl₄ resulting in the (dimethylamino)‐functionalised ‘titanocenes’ 5a – 5c . When the ‘titanocenes’ 5a – 5c were tested against LLC‐PK cells, the IC₅₀ values obtained were of 8.8, 12, and 87 μM , respectively. The most cytotoxic ‘titanocene’, 5a , with an IC₅₀ value of 8.8 μM is nearly as cytotoxic as cis‐platin, which showed an IC₅₀ value of 3.3 μM when tested on the epithelial pig kidney LLC‐PK cell line, and ca. 200 times better than ‘titanocene dichloride’ itself.