Palladium(II) complexes with N,N'-dialkyl-1,10-phenanthroline-2,9-dimathanamine: synthesis, characterization and cytotoxic activity

Five new tetradentate ligands and their corresponding palladium complexes, [Pd(L)]Cl2 (L = N,N'-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline-2,9-dimathanamine, N,N'-diethyl-1,10-phenanthroline-2,9-dimathanamine, N,N'-dipropyl-1,10-phenanthroline-2,9-dimathanamine, N,N'-ditert-butyl-1,10-phenanthroline-2,9-dimathanamine, N,N'-dicyclohexyl-1,10-phenanthroline-2,9-dimathanamine) have been synthesized. The ligands and their complexes have been characterized by elemental analysis, IR, and 1H NMR. The complexes have been assayed for antitumor activity in vitro against the mouse leukemia L1210 and the mouse liver carcinoma Bel7402 cell lines. The results showed that the activities of these complexes are significantly dependent on the nature of the alkyl groups on the coordinated amine moieties, and three of these palladium complexes showed lower ID50 values against the two cell lines than cisplatin.