Mixed complexes of Pt(II) and Pd(II) with ethylsarcosinedithiocarbamate and 2-/3-picoline as antitumor agents

The [M(ESDT)Cl]n (M = Pt(II), Pd(II); ESDT=EtO(O)CCH2N(CH3)CS2-, ethylsarcosinedithiocarbamate ion) species have been reacted with 2- or 3-picoline in dichloromethane in order to obtain mixed ligand complexes of the type [M(ESDT)(L)Cl] (L = 2-picoline, 3-picoline). The synthesized compounds have been isolated, purified and characterized by means of elemental analyses, 1H-/13C-/1H13C-HMBC (heteronuclear multiple bonding coherence) NMR and FT-IR spectroscopy. The biological activity of the compounds reported here has been then determined in terms of cell growth inhibition, DNA synthesis inhibition, detection of interstrand cross-links and DNA–protein cross-links, and micronuclei (MN) detection on a panel of tumor cell lines both sensitive and resistant to cisplatin. On the basis of the experimental results, coordination in the above mentioned complexes takes place in a near square-planar geometry, the dithiocarbamate moiety acting as a chelating agent, whereas the two remaining coordination sites are occupied by a chlorine atom and an amino ligand. Above all, [Pt(ESDT)(2-picoline)Cl] complex has shown very encouraging cytotoxicity levels higher or, at least, comparable to those exerted by cisplatin in the same experimental conditions.