Binuclear palladacycles: universal platforms for the design of new cytotoxic palladium complexes

Synthesis of new effective antitumour drugs is a topical issue in modern pharmacology. Cyclopalladated compounds are a very promising area of research. The review provides the first systematization of literature data on the results of studies of synthetic transformations of binuclear palladium cycles of various classes, occurring via the opening of the m-bridging fragment under the action of additional ligands (bridge-splitting reactions) to give new heteroleptic palladium complexes. Such atomeconomical transformations proceed under mild conditions and in high yields. The most significant results of the cytotoxic activity of heteroleptic palladium cycles are presented and leading drugs are identified. The presented information makes it possible to determine a universal strategy for the targeted formation of a ligand environment in palladium complexes, which are potential antitumour drugs. The bibliography includes 80 references.