Insights into the cytotoxic activity of the phosphane copper(I) complex [Cu(thp)4][PF6]

The phosphane copper(I) complex [Cu(thp)4][PF6], 1 (thp = tris(hydroxymethyl)phosphane) undergoes phosphane dissociation upon dilution, and interacts with methionine-rich peptide sequences comprised in the extra-cellular portion of a human copper transporter. Excess of exogenous copper is then observed in 1-treated cancer cells.