Diorganotin(IV) dipeptide complexes with potential antitumour activity

A series of complexes of the dimethylltin(IV) moiety with dipeptides has been synthesized. The dipeptides are L-alanyl-L-histidine (H2AlaHis), L-methionyl-L-methionine (H2MetMet), L-glycyl-L-histidine (H2GlyHis) and L-histidyl-L-glycine (H2HisGly). The complexes have been characterized by IR and 119Sn Mossbauer spectroscopy in the solid state and by 1H NMR in CD3OD and D2O solutions. They consist of monomeric entities, with the tin atom arranged in a pentacoordinated trigonal bipyramidal structure. The dipeptides are coordinated via the amino group, deprotonated peptide nitrogen and carboxylate group. Neither imidazole in histidine-containing dipetides, nor the thioether group in MetMet, is involved in bonding; they act as pendant arms on the outer surface of the complexes.