Synthesis, characterization and in vitro cytotoxicity studies of platinum(IV) complexes with thiouracil ligands

Reactions of [PtMe₃(bpy)(Me₂CO)][BF₄] (2) with the thionucleobases 2-thiouracil (s²Ura), 4-thiouracil (s⁴Ura) and 2,4-dithiouracil (s²s⁴Ura) resulted in the formation of complexes of the type [PtMe₃(bpy)(L-κS)][BF₄] (L = s²Ura, 3; s⁴Ura, 4; s²s⁴Ura, 5). The complexes were characterized by NMR spectroscopy (¹H, ¹³C, ¹⁹⁵Pt), IR spectroscopy as well as microanalyses. The coordination through the C4S groups (4, 5) was additionally confirmed by DFT calculations, where it was shown that these complexes [PtMe₃(bpy)(L-κS⁴)]⁺ (L = s⁴Ura, s²s⁴Ura) are about 5.8 (4b) and 3.3 kcal/mol (5b), respectively, more stable than the respective complexes, having thiouracil ligands bound through the C2X groups (X = O, 4a; S, 5a). For [PtMe₃(bpy)(s²Ura-κS²)][BF₄] (3) no preferred coordination mode could be assigned solely based on DFT calculations. Analysis of NMR spectra showed the κS² coordination. In vitro cytotoxic studies of complexes 3−5 on nine different cell lines (8505C, A253, FaDu, A431, A549, A2780, DLD-1, HCT-8, HT-29) revealed in most cases moderate activities. However, 3 and 5 showed significant activity towards A549 and A2780, respectively, possessing IC₅₀ values comparable to those of cisplatin. Cell cycle perturbations and trypan blue exclusion test on cancer cell line A431 using [PtMe₃(bpy)(s²s⁴Ura-κS⁴)][BF₄] (5) showed induction of apoptotic cell death. Furthermore, the reaction of [PtMe₃(OAc-κ²O,O′)(Me₂CO)] (6) with 4-thiouracil yielded the dinuclear complex [(PtMe₃)₂(μ-s⁴Ura_-H)₂] (7), which has been characterized by microanalysis, NMR (¹H, ¹³C, ¹⁹⁵Pt) and IR spectroscopy as well as ESI mass spectrometry. X-ray diffraction analysis of crystals yielded in an isolated case exhibited the presence of a hexanuclear thiouracilato platinum(IV) complex, possessing each three different kinds of methyl platinum(IV) moieties and 4-thiouracilato ligands. This exhibited the ability of 4-thiouracil platinum(IV) complexes to form multinuclear complexes.