Curcumin “Drug” Stabilized in Oxidovanadium(IV)-BODIPY Conjugates for Mitochondria-Targeted Photocytotoxicity

Ternary oxidovanadium(IV) complexes of curcumin (Hcur), dipicolylamine (dpa) base, and its derivatives having pendant noniodinated and di-iodinated boron-dipyrromethene (BODIPY) moiety (L1 and L2, respectively), namely, [VO(dpa)(cur)]ClO4 (1), [VO(L1)(cur)]ClO4 (2), and [VO(L2)(cur)]ClO4 (3) and their chloride salts (1a-3a) were prepared, characterized, and studied for anticancer activity. The chloride salts were used for biological studies due...