A series of p-cymene ruthenium(II) complexes with imidazol-2-yl phosphines as PN ligands was prepared. Depending on the number of imidazolyl substituents in the ligands Ph3-nP(im)(n) 1-3: n = 1-3, im imidazol-2-yl (a), 1-methylimidazol-2-yl (b) different coordination modes were observed: kappa P, kappa N-2,N or kappa N-3,N,N. The complexes were tested for their cytotoxicity in different cancer cell lines. Most of the compounds were found to be non-toxic; The compounds (p-cymene)Ru(1a)Cl-2] (4a) shows cytotoxicity towards A2780sens and Hct116 cells in the mM range but not in H4IIE cells.