Organometallic d6, d8 and d10 metal complexes for biosensing and imaging, cancer therapy and theranosis

Abstract

Organometallic d6, d8 and d10 metal complexes are known for their interesting photophysical and photochemical properties. This allows many of them to develop into luminescent probes for biosensing and imaging. In addition, some of the complexes have been found to show promising anticancer properties, with different molecular targets from the classical cisplatin and platinum-based chemotherapeutic agents, illustrating the possibility of using them to develop new therapy for cancers. Notably, there are examples of luminescent metal complexes showing good therapeutic values. They have been employed as theranostic agents which enable diagnosis and therapy simultaneously. This review highlights key features of organometallic d6, d8 and d10 metal complexes reported in the past 10 years and their applications in biosensing, imaging, cancer treatment and theranosis. We also discuss the limitations found in these complexes and provide insights into the future development of organometallic metal complexes for biomedical applications.