Platinum(II) complexes with mono-aminophosphonate ester targeting group that induce apoptosis through G1 cell-cycle arrest: Synthesis, crystal structure and antitumour activity

Six new platinum(II) complexes with mono-aminophosphonate ester were synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, 1H NMR, ESI-MS as well as single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. They are mononuclear structures. In all the crystal structures of complexes 1–6, the platinum centre adopts an approximately square-planar geometry, which were found to possess excellent solubility in both organic solvents and water and exhibit considerable cytotoxicity against MG-63, SK-OV-3 and HepG2 cell lines, but low cytotoxicity towards normal human liver cell HL-7702. In contrast to cisplatin, their antitumour activities are achieved through the induction of cell apoptosis by G1 cell-cycle arrest.

Graphical abstractSix platinum(II) complexes with mono-aminophosphonate ester were synthesized. They are soluble in organic solvents and water, exhibited considerable cytotoxicity achieved through the cell apoptosis mainly by G1 cell-cycle arrest.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slideHighlights► Six platinum(II) complexes with mono-aminophosphonate ester were synthesized. ► The platinum(II) complexes were soluble in both organic solvents and water. ► They exhibited considerable cytotoxicity and induced cell-cycle arrest at G1 phase.