Platinum, palladium, gold and ruthenium complexes as anticancer agents: Current clinical uses, cytotoxicity studies and future perspectives.

See more Platinum products. Platinum (atomic symbol: Pt, atomic number: 78) is a Block D, Group 10, Period 6 element with an atomic weight of 195.084. The number of electrons in each of platinum's shells is [2, 8, 18, 32, 17, 1] and its electron configuration is [Xe] 4f¹⁴ 5d⁹ 6s¹. The platinum atom has a radius of 139 pm and a Van der Waals radius of 175 pm. Platinum was discovered and first isolated by Antonio de Ulloa in 1735. It is one of the rarest elements in the earth's crust, occurring at a concentration of only 0.005 ppm. Platinum is found uncombined as a free element and alloyed with iridium as platiniridium. In its elemental form, platinum has a grayish white appearance. It is highly resistant to corrosion: the metal does not oxidize in air at any temperature. It is generally non-reactive, even at high temperatures. The origin of the name "platinum" comes from the Spanish word platina, meaning silver.

See more Ruthenium products. Ruthenium (atomic symbol: Ru, atomic number: 44) is a Block D, Group 8, Period 5 element with an atomic weight of 101.07. The number of electrons in each of ruthenium's shells is [2, 8, 18, 15, 1] and its electron configuration is [Kr] 4d⁷ 5s¹. The ruthenium atom has a radius of 134 pm and a Van der Waals radius of 207 pm. Ruthenium was discovered by Jędrzej Śniadecki in 1807. It was first recognized as a distinct element by Karl Ernst Claus in 1844. In its elemental form, ruthenium has a silvery white metallic appearance. Ruthenium is a rare transition metal belonging to the platinum group of metals. It is found in pentlandite, pyroxenite, and platinum group metal ores. The name Ruthenium originates from the Latin word "Ruthenia," meaning Russia.

See more Gold products. Gold (atomic symbol: Au, atomic number: 79) is a Block D, Group 11, Period 6 element with an atomic weight of 196.966569. The number of electrons in each of Gold's shells is 2, 8, 18, 32, 18, 1 and its electron configuration is [Xe]4f¹⁴² 5d¹⁰ 6s¹. The gold atom has a radius of 144 pm and a Van der Waals radius of 217 pm. Gold was first discovered by Early Man prior to 6000 B.C. In its elemental form, gold has a metallic yellow appearance. Gold is a soft metal and is usually alloyed to give it more strength. It is a good conductor of heat and electricity, and is unaffected by air and most reagents. It is one of the least reactive chemical elements. Gold is often found as a free element and with silver as a gold-silver alloy. Less commonly, it is found in minerals as gold compounds, usually with tellurium.

See more Palladium products. Palladium (atomic symbol: Pd, atomic number: 46) is a Block D, Group 10, Period 5 element with an atomic weight of 106.42. The number of electrons in each of palladium's shells is 2, 8, 18, 18 and its electron configuration is [Kr] 4d¹⁰. The palladium atom has a radius of 137 pm and a Van der Waals radius of 202 pm. In its elemental form, palladium has a silvery white appearance. Palladium is a member of the platinum group of metals (along with platinum, rhodium, ruthenium, iridium and osmium). Palladium has the lowest melting point and is the least dense of the group. Palladium can be found as a free metal and alloyed with other platinum-group metals. Nickel-copper deposits are the main commercial source of palladium. Palladium was discovered and first isolated by William Hyde Wollaston in 1803. Its name is derived from the asteroid Pallas.