Mononuclear diorganotin(IV) complexes with arylhydroxamates: syntheses,structures and assessment of in vitro cytotoxicity

Two series of diorganotin(IV) complexes with dihalogenobenzohydroxamate ligands (substituents = 2,4‐Cl₂, 2,4‐F₂, 3,4‐F₂, 2,5‐F₂, 2,6‐F₂), formulated as [R₂Sn(HL)₂] ( a ), and the arylhydroxamato/arylcarboxylato mixed‐ligand complexes [R₂Sn(HL)(L′)] ( b ), were prepared and characterized by FT‐IR, ¹H, ¹³C and ¹¹⁹Sn NMR spectroscopies, elemental analyses and melting point measurements. X‐ray diffraction analysis was also carried out for the complex [Me₂Sn{3,4‐F₂C₆H₃C(O)NHO}₂], 1a . These compounds exhibit in vitro cytotoxic activities towards human leukemic promyelocites HL‐60, BGC‐823, BEL‐7402 and KB cell lines which, in some cases, are identical to, or even higher than, that of cisplatin. The type, position and number of the X substituents in the phenyl ring play a role in the cytotoxic activity, and complex 8a , with its 2,6‐difluorobenzohydroxamato ligand, is highly active against all tumor cells. A tentative structure–activity relationship is also described. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.