A series of new water soluble sugar and non-sugar containing platinum(II) complexes was synthesized and evaluated for effects of the sugar moiety on water solubility, anti-tumor activity, and acute leukopenia. When tested in vivo against the murine P388 and L1210 leukemias at LD10/maximally effective doses, the compound cis-[(gluconylamino)malonato-O,O'](1R,2R-cyclohexanediami ne-N,N')platinum (II), R,RG-AMP produced comparable or superior anti-tumor activity to cisplatin, carboplatin, and tetraplatin. Efficacy was also demonstrated for the L1210/DDP (cisplatin-resistant) leukemia. Further, R,R-G-AMP is non-nephrotoxic and produces less leukopenia than cisplatin, carboplatin, and tetraplatin.