Novel mixed ligand di-n-butyltin(IV) complexes derived from acylpyrazolones and fluorinated benzoic acids: Synthesis, characterization, cytotoxicity and the induction of apoptosis in Hela cancer cells

Twenty one novel mixed ligand di-n-butyltin(IV) complexes [(n)Bu2SnAL] (A = substituted 4-acyl-5-pyrazolone, and L = fluorinated benzoic acid) were prepared by condensation of di-n-butyltin(IV) oxide with HL and HA in 1:1:1 molar ratio in refluxing methanol. All of the complexes were characterized by elemental analyses, IR, NMR ((1)H, (13)C, (119)Sn) and in four cases by X-ray diffraction. Cytotoxicity of the compounds was studied against two human cancer cell lines (KB and Hela) by means of the MTT assay compared to cisplatin, featuring IC₅₀ values in the low micromolar range. Hela cancer cell apoptosis-induced by 2 was examined by flow cytometry analysis, and preliminary results showed that 2 at concentrations of more than 1.0 μM can induce apoptosis.