Complexes of platinum(II) or palladium(II) with 1,10-phenanthroline and amino acids

The amino acids complexes of [Pt(phen)(AA)]NO3. xH(2)O and [Pd(phen)(AA)]NO3. xH(2)O have been prepared by the interaction of palladium and platinum complexes, [Pt(phen)Cl-2] and rPd(phen)Cl-2] with salts of amino acids in methanol and characterized by H-1 NMR and IR spectroscopy which confirmed the formation of a very large variety of compounds with ligand in a simple way (bidentate). All of these new compounds have been isolated and tested for cytotoxicity on Molt-4, a human leukaemia cell line. The IC50 values of [Pt(phen)(Pro)]Cl . 2H(2)O and [Pd(phen)(Asp)]Cl . 1.5H(2)O are 9.8 and 7.31 mu M, respectively, exhibiting a significant activity which is close to cis-[PtCl2(NH3)(2). (C) 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.