Synthesis of a heterodinuclear ruthenium(II)–platinum(II) complex linked by l-cysteine methyl ester

A potential anticancer heterodinuclear ruthenium(II)–platinum(II) complex, [ruthenium(II)(4,4′-dimethyl-2,2′-bipyridine)2(5-(l-cysteine-methyl ester)-1,10-phenanthroline)-trans-chlorodiammineplatinum(II)] chloride, [Ru(Me2bipy)2(5-(l-cysteine-Me)-phen)-trans-Pt(NH3)2Cl]Cl3, was synthesised. l-Cysteine methyl ester was used to link the two metal centres, as more conventional straight chain diaminoalkanes and 2-mercaptoethylamine failed to couple to the phenanthroline ligand. From the precursor mononuclear ruthenium(II) complexes, which were separated into their Δ- and Λ-isomers by column chromatography, the dinuclear complex was synthesised and characterised by 1H and 13C NMR, UV–Vis, circular dichroism, fluorescence and electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry.

Graphical abstractA potential anticancer heterodinuclear ruthenium(II)–platinum(II) complex, [ruthenium(II)(4,4′-dimethyl-2,2′-bipyridine)2(5-(l-cysteine-methyl ester)-1,10-phenanthroline)-trans-chlorodiamineplatinum(II)] chloride, [Ru(Me2bipy)2(5-(l-cysteine-Me)-phen)-trans-Pt(NH3)2Cl]Cl3, was synthesised.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide