Group VA Polyesters Containing Thiodiglycolic Acid-Synthesis and Preliminary Cancer Activity

The interfacial condensation between the salt of thiodiglycolic acid and the Group V dihalides produces the corresponding polyesters in moderate to good yield in 15 secs and less. The products are tacky to glassy. Infrared spectroscopy shows the formation of the M-O linkage with bands present derived from both reactants. The geometry about the metal is predominately non-bridging. MALDI MS shows ion fragment clusters to two repeat units with ion fragment clusters consistent with the formation of the M-O-C(O)- linkage. The arsenic polymer exhibits outstanding inhibition of the AsPC-1 adenocarcinoma pancreatic cancer cell line. Both the arsenic and antimony polymer show good inhibition of the PC-3 prostate cancer cell line. The antimony polymer shows good inhibition of both the MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells that are estrogen-independent and estrogen receptor negative and the MCF-7 breast cancer cells that are an estrogen receptor (ER) positive cancer cell line.