Recent advances of metallocenes for medicinal chemistry

Background: The recent advances for the synthesis and application of different metallocenes for Medicinal Chemistry is reviewed. Objective: This manuscript presents the different metallocene scaffolds, with special emphasis on ferrocene derivatives, and their potential pharmaceutical application. Over the last years, the synthesis of new metallocene compounds and their biological and medicinal effects against some types of diseases (e.g. anti-tumoral, antibiotics, anti-viral) have been reported. From the medicinal point of view, the attractive properties of metallocene derivatives, such as their high stability, low toxicity and appealing redox behaviors are particularly relevant. Results: This area has attracted many researchers as well as the pharmaceutical industry due to the promising results of some metallocenes, in particular ferrocene compounds, in breast cancer and malaria.