Structural effects on the antitumour activity of a series of di(4‐substituted phenyl)tin dichloride complexes with nitrogen‐donor ligands

Investigation of the antitumour activity of a series of diorganotin dichloride complexes (4‐ZC6H4)2SnCl2·L2, where Z = OMe, Me, F, Cl, and CF3 and L2 = 2,2′‐bipyridyl (bipy), 1,10‐phenanthroline (phen) and 2‐aminomethylpyridine (amp) is reported. A number of these complexex are shown to exhibit reproducible activity in vivo towards P388 lymphocytic leukaemia in mice. 1H NMR data are reported for an extended series of (4‐ZC6H4)4Sn and the parent dichlorides (4‐ZC6H4)2SnCl2 of the above‐mentioned complexes. A correlation is reported between Hammett substituent constants and 1H chemical shift data. Attempts are made to relate the antitumour activity of the complexes to various structural factors. The dependence of antitumour activity on the electronic effect of group Z and the nature of the ligand L2 is demonstrated.