Synthesis and antimalarial activity in vitro of new heterobimetallic complexes: Rh and Au derivatives of chloroquine and a series of ferrocenyl-4-amino-7-chloroquinolines

Abstract The reaction of chloroquine and several ferrocenyl derivatives of chloroquine with Au(PPh 3 )NO 3 , Au(C 6 F 5 )(tht) and [Rh(COD)Cl] 2 have been investigated. The resulting products have been characterised by a range of techniques including NMR, mass spectrometry, elemental analysis, IR and cyclic voltammetry. The data suggests that the products are heterobimetallic complexes where the quinoline nitrogen coordinates to the Au or Rh. In vitro studies against Plasmodium falciparum are reported.