Three-coordinate au(i) probes and use in selectively disrupting mitochondria in cancer cells

A compound of the formula:

• or a pharmaceutically-acceptable salt thereof,
• wherein
• X is C, P or As;
• R1 and R2 are independently selected from the group consisting of H, alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, and heterocycloalkyl, or R1 and R2, taken together with the carbons to which they are bound, form a 5-7-membered ring;
• R3 and R4 are independently selected from the group consisting of H, alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, and heterocycloalkyl;
• R5 and R6 are each
• or when X is C then R5 and R6 taken together with the C to which they are bound can form a 5-membered ring that is substituted or unsubstituted;
• R7 is H or
• and
• R8 is selected from the group consisting of H, alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, and heterocycloalkyl.