A Prelude to Biogermylene Chemistry**
Pritam Mahawar, Mishi Kaushal Wasson, Mahendra K. Sharma, Chandan Kumar Jha, Goutam Mukherjee, Perumal Vivekanandan, Selvarajan Nagendran
Abstract
The biological applications of germylenes remain unrealised owing to their unstable nature. We report the isolation of air-, water-, and culture-medium-stable germylene DPMGeOH (3; DPM=dipyrromethene ligand) and its potential biological application. Compound 3 exhibits antiproliferative effects comparable to that of cisplatin in human cancer cells. The cytotoxicity of compound 3 on normal epithelial cells is minimal and is similar to that of the currently used anticancer drugs. These findings provide a framework for a plethora of biological studies using germylenes and have important implications for low-valent main-group chemistry.