Synthesis, characterization and DNA binding activity of PtCl2[DMSO][N4[N-3(4-pyridylmethyl)thymidine]]

•A new thymidine based nucleoside Pt(II) DMSO complex has been synthesized.•Structure determination includes 1H, 13C, 195Pt NMR and TOF-MS data.•The complex cleaves supercoiled DNA at a 5:1 DNA phosphate to drug ratio.

A platinum(II)-DMSO complex has been incorporated into a thymidine based nucleoside through an N-3 pendant pyridyl nitrogen. Electrospray TOF-MS, 1H, 13C and 195Pt NMR methodologies all confirm the new structure. The complex exhibits differential stability in various media with DMSO solutions particularly unstable. Incubation of the complex with pUC18 circular plasmid DNA, followed by gel electrophoresis shows the formation of linearized forms of DNA at 5:1 DNA base pair to complex ratio.

Graphical abstractA platinum(II)-DMSO complex has been incorporated into a thymidine based nucleoside through an N-3 pendant pyridyl nitrogen. Incubation of the complex with pUC18 circular plasmid DNA shows the formation of linearized forms of DNA at 5:1 DNA base pair to complex ratio.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide