Synthesis and characterization of a heteroleptic palladium(II) complex bearing an acylthiosemicarbazide ligand

Platinum-based chemotherapeutics are benchmark oncology treatments, but their clinical efficacy is frequently hampered by systemic toxicity and cellular resistance, particularly in gastric cancer. Exploring palladium complexes as isoelectronic and isostructural analogues to platinum offers a viable alternative, though the high lability of Pd(II) centers often limits their therapeutic potential. To overcome this, thiosemicarbazide (TSC) ligands are employed for their strong chelating capabilities and documented antitumor properties. Herein, we report the synthesis, characterization, and in vitro evaluation of a heteroleptic palladium complex bearing acylthiosemicarbazide ligands targeted against gastric cancer. The TSC ligand was prepared and characterized via FTIR and $^1\text{H}$ NMR. The complex, assembled using TSC and triphenylphosphine, was analyzed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SC-XRD), revealing a dinuclear structure where the TSC ligand bridges two metal centers. These compounds will undergo screening to assess their antitumor efficacy against gastric cancer cell lines.