Synthesis, characterization and antitumor properties of novel silver(I) and gold(I) N-heterocyclic carbene complexes

[Display omitted] •Benzimidazolium salts containing propane sulfonate group were synthesized.•The Ag-NHC complexes were prepared by reacting benzimidazoles salts with silver oxide.•Gold-NHC complexes were obtained via transmetallation reactions.•The structures of the compounds were analyzed by DFT/TDDFT.•IC50 and cytotoxic effects of these complexes were determined by the MTS assay. In this study, two novel benzimidazolium salts consisting propane sulfonate order were integrated in high yields as N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) precursors. The silver-NHC buildings were set up by responding 1-(2,2-dimethoxyethyl)-3-(propyl-3-sulfonate)benzimidazolium and 1-(2,2-diethoxyethyl)-3-(propyl-3-sulfonate)benzimidazolium with silver oxide on average state. Gold-NHC edifices were acquired by means of transmetallation of their silver precursors with [AuCl{S(CH3)2}]. The structures of all mixes were completely portrayed by spectroscopic techniques (1H NMR, 13C{1H} NMR, IR and elemental and further analyzed by DFT/TDDFT strategies. IC50 values and cytotoxic impacts of these four complexes were controlled by the MTS put together examine with respect to three human cancer cell lines neuroblastoma (SHSY5Y), adenocarcinoma (HEP3B), and human fibroblasts (HF).