t-Butylsarcosinedithiocarbamato gold(III)-based anticancer agents: Design, in vitro biological evaluation and interaction with model biomolecules

► Au(III)-t-butylsarcosinedithiocarbamato derivatives are potential anticancer agents. ► Slowly react with isolated dAMP but not with dGMP. ► Undergo sudden reduction to the gold(I) species in presence of GSH. ► Cytotoxic in vitro in the low micromolar range. ► Induce apoptosis and DNA fragmentation negligibly affecting cell cycle progression.