The review is devoted to copper coordination compounds based on 2,2′-bipyridine / 1,10-phenanthroline and diverse N-, O-, S-donor ligands exhibiting cytotoxic properties. Therefore, they can be a starting platform for developing antitumor drugs. The review covers the structural aspects of the complexes, the features of their cytotoxic activity and its mechanism, as well as in vivo studies.

1,10-Phenanthroline and 2,2′-bipyridine based copper( ii ) complexes with 1 H -tetrazole-5-acetic acid as anticancer agents selective against hepatocellular carcinoma cells have been synthesized.