Design, synthesis and anticancer activity of diam(m)ine platinum(II) complexes bearing a small-molecular cell apoptosis inducer dichloroacetate

Four new diam(m)ine platinum complexes containing the dichloroacetate moiety in 3-dichoroacetoxylcyclobutane-1,1-dicarboxylate as the leaving group were synthesized, characterized by elemental analysis as well as by ESI(+)-MS (electrospray ionization mass spectrometry in positive mode), FT-IR, (1)H- and (13)C-NMR, and evaluated for their in vitro anticancer activity against human lung cancer cell line (A549) and ovarian cancer cell lines (SK-OV-3, SK-OV-3/DDP). Diam(m)ines used in the present study belong to the carriers of six clinically approved platinum drugs. Among the complexes synthesized, complex 2, cis-[Pt(II)(1R,2R-diaminocyclohexane)·(3-dichoroacetoxylcyclobutane-1,1-dicarboxylate)] is the most promising in terms of water solubility and potential of being totally devoid of cross-drug resistance with cisplatin. Therefore, complex 2 was selected for the dichloroacetate release test. The test shows dichloroacetate can be efficiently released from complex 2 under physiological conditions via the hydrolysis of an ester bond bridging the dichloroacetate moiety and platinum pharmacophores together. Our study supports the further evaluation of this complex as a drug candidate.