Investigations into the antitumour activity of organotin compounds. I. Diorganotin dihalide and di-pseudohalide complexes.

The antitumor activity of a series of diorganotin dihalide and di-pseudohalide complexes, R2SnX2, L2, where R = Methyl (Me), Ethyl (Et), n-Propyl (Pr), n-Butyl (Bu) or Phenyl (Ph); X = F, Cl, Br, I or NCS; and L = O- or N- donor organic ligand, which were modelled on the active platinum complexes, has been investigated. A number of these derivatives exhibit reproducible therapeutic activity in vivo towards P-388 lymphocytic leukaemia in mice, particularly the diethyltin dihalide and dipseudohalide complexes. The possible factors influencing activity are discussed, both in terms of the stereochemistry of the dialkyltin compounds and their structural similarity to the platinum antitumour drugs.