Synthesis, interaction with double-helical DNA and biological activity of new Pt(II) and Pd(II) complexes with phenylglycine

The mononuclear palladium(II) (1) and platinum(II) (2) complexes containing phenylglycine have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectra, and 1H NMR spectra. The structure of 1 was determined by X-ray diffractometry. The interaction between the complexes and fish sperm DNA (FS-DNA), adenosine-5′-triphosphate (ATP), and adenine (Ade) were investigated by UV absorption spectra, the interaction mode of the complex binding to DNA was studied by fluorescence spectra and viscometry. The results indicate that the two complexes have different binding affinities to DNA, complex 2 > complex 1. Gel electrophoresis assay demonstrates that the two complexes have the ability to cleave pBR322 plasmid DNA. Cytotoxicity experiments were carried out toward four different cancer cell lines, and 1 shows lower inhibitory efficiency than 2, consistent with the binding affinities towards DNA.