Abstract

Eight organo-iron ferrocene derivatives and arenocenium salts were prepared and evaluated by “in vitro” assay against one strain of Trypanosoma cruzi (Y). Six of the eight organo-iron compounds assayed, piperazinium diferrocenoate 1, η6-(o-xylene)-η5-(cyclopentadienyl) Iron(II) hexafluorophosphate 3, η6 -(mesitylene)-η5 -(cyclopentadienyl) iron(II) hexafluorphosphate 5, η6 -(durene)-η5 -(cyclopentadienyl) iron(II) hexafluorphosphate 6, η6 -(ρ-chlorotoluene)-η5 -(cyclopentadienyl) Iron(II) hexafluorphosphate 7 and η6 -(chlorobenzene)-η5 -(cyclopentadienyl) iron(II) picrate 8 , were poorly active in the “in vitro” assays. Only two compounds 1,1'–(N-pyperidinocarbonyl) ferrocene 2(IC50=2.4μg/mL) and η6-(o-xylene)-η5(cyclopentadienyl) iron(II) picrate 4(IC50=12.08μg/mL), were more active. Thus, some of the compounds are promising to be used against Chagas' disease as a prophylactic agents.