| abstract |
A substance for use in the treatment of cancer, includes a compound selected from metallocenyl .beta.-diketones Mc-CO-CZ1Z2-CO-R. Mc is Fc (ferrocenyl), Rc (ruthenocenyl) or Oc (osmocenyl), R is H, alkyl or aryl and Z1 and Z2 are H, alkyl, aryl or substituted alkyl, ferrocenyl, the enol forms of the .beta.- diketones and metal complexes of the .beta.-diketones of the general formula M(.beta.-diketonato)A1, M(.beta.-diketonato)A1A2, M(.beta.-diketonato)A1B1B2 , M(.beta.-diketonato)B1B2 and M(.beta.-diketonato)B1B2B3B4. M is Rh or Ir, A1 and A2 are cyclic dienes having 6 - 8 carbons, or linear alkenes having 2-7 carbons. B1, B2, B3 and B4 are selected from CO, P(R1R2 R3), P(OR1)(OR2)(OR3 ), R4 and X in which R1,R2, R3 and R4 are independently alkyl, phenyl or ferrocenyl, and X is a halide or a pseudohalide. |