Cu(II)‐Metallacryptands Self‐Assembled to Vesicular Aggregates Capable of Encapsulating and Transporting an Anticancer Drug Inside Cancer Cells

Abstract

Crystallographically characterized M2L4 type cationic Cu(II)-metallacryptands [MC(X)] derived from a series of bis-pyridyl-bis-urea ligands (LX; X = O, S, C) are self-assembled to single-layered vesicular aggregates in DMSO, DMSO/water, and DMSO/DMEM (biological media). One such vesicle is MC(O)-vesicle that is demonstrated to be able to load and release (pH responsive) an anticancer drug, namely doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX). DOX-loaded MC(O)-vesicle is also successfully transported within MDA-MB-231 cells—a highly aggressive human breast cancer cell line. Such self-assembling behavior to form vesicular aggregates by metallacryptands (MCs) is hitherto unknown.