Structural peculiarities and anticancer activities of two organotin compounds

Two new organotin compounds, triphenyl-4,6-diamine-pyrimidine-2-thione-tin(IV) (1) and triphenyl-imidazoline-2-thione-chloro-tin(IV) (2), have been synthesized, spectroscopically and structurally characterized, and their cytotoxic activities have been tested against certain cancer cell lines. Atoms-In-Molecules approach has been applied for the description of the coordination geometry. Both complexes are active against chemotherapy-resistant SK-LMS-1 Leiomyiosarcoma cells (IC₅₀ of 0.1 μM), and this activity is 3–4 times larger than against normal human CCD39Lu fibroblasts. The biological activity results are compared with those determined for other active organotin compounds which have Sn-S bond, and structure-activity relationships including geometry, intermolecular interactions, Hirshfeld surface parameters, etc., are discussed. Besides the anticancer activity, 2 is also unique from structural point of view as the first structure of a triphenyltin complex with Sn coordinated by both sulfur and halide.