Syntheses, Crystal Structures and Biological Activity of the 2-Oxo-propionic Acid Aroyl Hydrazone Di-4-methylbenzyltin Complexes

Di-4-methylbenzyltin dichloride has been synthesized via the reaction of the tin powder with the 4-methylbenzyl chloride in the hydrous toluene. Two substituted benzyltin complexes has been synthesized via the reaction of the 2-oxo-propionic acid aroyl hydrazone with the di-4-methylbenzyltin dichloride. The complexes 1 and 2 have been characterized by IR, H-1 NMR, C-13 NMR spectra, elemental analysis and the crystal structures have been determined by X-ray diffraction. In vitro antitumor activities of both complexes were evaluated by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazoly-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay against three human cancer cell lines (MCF-7, HepG2, NCI-H460) and human cell line (HL-7702). Two complexes exhibited strong antitumor activity, moreover, 2 was less toxic than 1. The interaction between complexes and calf thymus DNA were studied by EB fluorescent probe. The interaction of 1 with calf thymus DNA were intercalation and electrostatic attraction, however, that of 2 was only intercalation. CCDC: 1487539, 1; 1053263, 2.