New water-soluble platinum(ii) phenanthroline complexes tested as cisplatin analogues: first-time comparison of cytotoxic activity between analogous four- and five-coordinate species

Four- and five-coordinate platinum(II) complexes, cis-[PtCl2(A2)] (1) and [PtCl2(A2)(eta2-ethylene)] (2) {A2 = 4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline disulfonic acid disodium salt, BPS (mixture of isomers) (a); 2,9-dimethyl-4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline disulfonic acid disodium salt, BCS (mixture of isomers) (b)} have been synthesized and characterized by 1H, 13C, and 195Pt NMR spectroscopy. The stability and high water solubility of complexes 1a, 1b and 2b, due to the presence of the polar SO3- groups on the ligands skeleton, allowed to test their in vitro cytotoxicity on HeLa tumour cells in a wide range of drug concentration. At low and medium incubation doses (<200 microM) 1a, 1b and 2b all showed similar in vitro cytotoxicity, negligible or much lower with respect to cisplatin. At doses higher than 200 microM their activity increased and 1b, the most active among the new complexes, exhibited a cytotoxicity comparable, although still lower, with respect to cisplatin. GFAAS Platinum analytical data showed that the tested compounds 1a, 1b and 2b, although carrying sulfonate charged groups, may undergo cellular uptake, which, in the case of 1b and 2b, is even higher with respect to cisplatin. Furthermore, in the case of 1b and 2b it has been possible to compare, for the first time, the cytotoxic activity for square-planar four-coordinate and trigonal-bipyramidal five-coordinate platinum(II) complexes having the same carrier ligand. The tendency of the five-coordinate species 2b to give at longer incubation time similar cytotoxicity with respect to the square-planar compound 1b suggests a possible use of the trigonal-bipyramidal five-coordinate complexes as prodrugs.

Reaction of vinyl chloride with late transition metal olefin polymerization catalysts

The reactions of vinyl chloride (VC) with representative late metal, single-site olefin dimerization and polymerization catalysts have been investigated. VC coordinates more weakly than ethylene or propylene to the simple catalyst (Me(2)bipy)PdMe(+) (Me(2)bipy = 4,4'-Me(2)-2,2'-bipyridine). Insertion rates of (Me(2)bipy)Pd(Me)(olefin)(+) species vary in the order VC > ethylene > propylene. The VC complexes (Me(2)bipy)Pd(Me)(VC)(+) and (alpha-diimine)Pd(Me)(VC)(+) (alpha-diimine = (2,6-(i)Pr(2)[bond]C(6)H(3))N[double bond]CMeCMe[double bond]N(2,6-(i)Pr(2)[bond]C(6)H(3))) undergo net 1,2 VC insertion and beta-Cl elimination to yield Pd[bond]Cl species and propylene. Analogous chemistry occurs for (pyridine-bisimine)MCl(2)/MAO catalysts (M = Fe, Co; pyridine-bisimine = 2,6-[(2,6-(i)Pr(2)[bond]C(6)H(3))N[double bond]CMe](2)-pyridine) and for neutral (sal)Ni(Ph)PPh(3) and (P[bond]O)Ni(Ph)PPh(3) catalysts (sal = 2-[C(H)[double bond]N(2,6-(i)Pr(2)-C(6)H(3))]-6-Ph-phenoxide; P[bond]O = [Ph(2)PC(SO(3)Na)[double bond]C(p-tol)O]), although the initial metal alkyl VC adducts were not detected in these cases. These results show that the L(n)MCH(2)CHClR species formed by VC insertion into the active species of late metal olefin polymerization catalysts undergo rapid beta-Cl elimination which precludes VC polymerization. Termination of chain growth by beta-Cl elimination is the most significant obstacle to metal-catalyzed insertion polymerization of VC.

Mechanism of ketone and alcohol formations from alkenes and alkynes on the head-to-head 2-pyridonato-bridged cis-diammineplatinum(III) dinuclear complex

Reactions of the head-to-head 2-pyridonato-bridged cis-diammineplatinum(III) dinuclear complex having nonequivalent two platinum atoms, Pt(N(2)O(2)) and Pt(N(4)), with p-styrenesulfonate, 2-methyl-2-propene-1-sulfonate, 4-penten-1-ol, and 4-pentyn-1-ol were studied kinetically. Under the pseudo first-order reaction conditions that the concentration of the Pt(III) dinuclear complex is much smaller than that of olefin, a consecutive basically four-step reaction was observed: the olefin pi-coordinates preferentially to the Pt(N(2)O(2)) in the first step (step 1), followed by the second pi-coordination of another olefin molecule to the Pt(N(4)) (step 2). In the next step (step 3), the nucleophilic attack of water to the coordinated olefin triggers the pi-sigma bond conversion on the Pt(N(2)O(2)), and the second pi-bonding olefin molecule on the Pt(N(4)) is released. Finally, reductive elimination occurs to the alkyl group on the Pt(N(2)O(2)) to produce the alkyl compound (step 4). The first water substitution with olefin (step 1) occurs to the diaqua and aquahydroxo forms of the complex, whereas the second substitution (step 2) proceeds either on the coordinated OH(-) on the Pt(N(4)) (path a) or on the coordinatively unsaturated five-coordinate intermediate of the Pt(N(4)) (path b), in addition to the common substitution of H(2)O (path c). The reactions of p-styrenesulfonate and 2-methyl-2-propene-1-sulfonate proceed through paths b and c, whereas the reactions of 4-penten-1-ol and 4-pentyn-1-ol proceed through paths a and c. This difference reflects the difference of the trans effect and/or trans influence of the pi-coordinated olefins on the Pt(N(2)O(2)). The pentacoordinate state in path b is employed only by the sulfo-olefins, because these exert stronger trans effect. The steps 3 and 4 reflect the effect of the axial alkyl ligand (R) on the charge localization (R-Pt(IV)(N(2)O(2))-Pt(II)(N(4))) and delocalization (R-Pt(III)(N(2)O(2))-Pt(III)(N(4))-OH(2)); when R is p-styrenesulfonate having an electron withdrawing group, the charge localization in the dimer is less pronounced and the water molecule on the Pt(N(4)) atom is retained (R-Pt(III)(N(2)O(2))-Pt(III)(N(4))-OH(2)) in the intermediate state. In both routes, the alkyl group undergoes nucleophilic attack of water, and the oxidized products are released via reductive elimination.

Reaction of vinyl chloride with group 4 metal olefin polymerization catalysts

The reactions of three types of group 4 metal olefin polymerization catalysts, (C(5)R(5))(2)ZrX(2)/activator, (C(5)Me(5))TiX(3)/MAO (MAO = methylalumoxane), and (C(5)Me(4)SiMe(2)N(t)Bu)MX(2)/activator (M = Ti, Zr), with vinyl chloride (VC) and VC/propylene mixtures have been investigated. Two general pathways are observed: (i) radical polymerization of VC initiated by radicals derived from the catalyst and (ii) net 1,2 VC insertion into L(n)MR(+) species followed by beta-Cl elimination. rac-(EBI)ZrMe(mu-Me)B(C(6)F(5))(3) (EBI = 1,2-ethylenebis(indenyl)) reacts with 2 equiv of VC to yield oligopropylene, rac-(EBI)ZrCl(2), and B(C(6)F(5))(3). This reaction proceeds by net 1,2 VC insertion into rac-(EBI)ZrMe(+) followed by fast beta-Cl elimination to yield [rac-(EBI)ZrCl][MeB(C(6)F(5))(3)] and propylene. Methylation of rac-(EBI)ZrCl(+) by MeB(C(6)F(5))(3)(-) enables a second VC insertion/beta-Cl elimination to occur. The evolved propylene is oligomerized by rac-(EBI)ZrR(+) as it is formed. At high Al/Zr ratios, rac-(EBI)ZrMe(2)/MAO catalytically converts VC to oligopropylene by 1,2 VC insertion into rac-(EBI)ZrMe(+), beta-Cl elimination, and realkylation of rac-(EBI)ZrCl(+) by MAO; this process is stoichiometric in Al-Me groups. The evolved propylene is oligomerized by rac-(EBI)ZrR(+). Oligopropylene end group analysis shows that the predominant chain transfer mechanism is VC insertion/beta-Cl elimination/realkylation. In the presence of trace levels of O(2), rac-(EBI)ZrMe(2)/MAO polymerizes VC to poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) by a radical mechanism initiated by radicals generated by autoxidation of Zr-R and/or Al-R species. CpTiX(3)/MAO (Cp = C(5)Me(5); X = OMe, Cl) initiates radical polymerization of VC in CH(2)Cl(2) solvent at low Al/Ti ratios under anaerobic conditions; in this case, the source of initiating radicals is unknown. Radical VC polymerization can be identified by the presence of terminal and internal allylic chloride units and other "radical defects" in the PVC which arise from the characteristic chemistry of PCH(2)CHCl(*) macroradicals. However, this test must be used with caution, since the defect units can be consumed by postpolymerization reactions with MAO. (C(5)Me(4)SiMe(2)N(t)Bu)MMe(2)/[Ph(3)C]][B(C(6)F(5))(4)] catalysts (M = Ti, Zr) react with VC by net 1,2 insertion/beta-Cl elimination, yielding [(C(5)Me(4)SiMe(2)N(t)Bu)MCl][B(C(6)F(5))(4)] species which can be trapped as (C(5)Me(4)SiMe(2)N(t)Bu)MCl(2) by addition of a chloride source. The reaction of rac-(EBI)ZrMe(2)/MAO or [(C(5)Me(4)SiMe(2)N(t)Bu)ZrMe][B(C(6)F(5))(4)] with propylene/VC mixtures yields polypropylene containing both allylic and vinylidene unsaturated chain ends rather than strictly vinylidene chain ends, as observed in propylene homopolymerization. These results show that the VC insertion of L(n)M(CH(2)CHMe)(n)R(+) species is also followed by beta-Cl elimination, which terminates chain growth and precludes propylene/VC copolymerization. Termination of chain growth by beta-Cl elimination is the most significant obstacle to metal-catalyzed insertion polymerization/copolymerization of VC.