A fluorine containing bipyridine cisplatin analog is more effective than cisplatin at inducing apoptosis in cancer cell lines.

Novel cisplatin analogs dichloro[4,4'-bis(4,4,4-trifluorobutyl)-2,2'-bipyridine]platinum (1) and fac-tricarbonylchloro[4,4'-bis(4,4,4-trifluorobutyl)-2,2'-bipyridine]rhenium (3) were synthesized and evaluated for their cytotoxicity. While 3 was not cytotoxic, 1 was 14 to 125 times more lethal than cisplatin in breast, prostate, and lung cancer cell lines. Compound 1 was able to induce apoptosis and the presence of the platinum atom was essential to its function as a cytotoxin.