Organotin(IV) derivatives of L-cysteine and their in vitro anti-tumor properties.

The synthesis and characterization of the organotin compounds [(n-C(4)H(9))(2)Sn(cys)] (1), [(C(6)H(5))(2)Sn(cys)] (2), [(C(6)H(5))(3)Sn(Hcys).(H(2)o)] (3), {[(CH(3))(2)Sn(Kcys)(2)].2(H(2)0)} (4), {[(n-C(4)H(9))(2)Sn(Kcys)(2)].2(H(2)0)} (5) and {[(C(6)H(5))(2)Sn(Kcys)(2)].2(H(2)0)} (6) (where H(2)cys = L-cysteine) are reported. The compounds have been characterized by elemental analysis and (1)H-NMR, Uv-Vis, FT-IR and MOssbauer spectroscopic techniques. Attempted recrystallization of (2) in DMSO/methanol 2:1 solution yielded after several days unexpectedly the dimeric compound bis(tri-phenyltin)sulphide {[(C(6)H(5))(3)Sn](2)S} (7) which has been characterized by x-ray analysis. The structure of the parent complex (2) as well as the mechanism of the decomposition of cysteine are being further investigated. The in vitro anticancer activity of complexes (I)- (6), against human leukemia (HL60), human liver (Bel7402), human stomach (BGC823) and human cervix epithelial human carcinoma (Hela), nasopharyngeal carcinoma (KB) and lung cancer (PG) tumor cells, were evaluated.