Crystal and Molecular Structure of Novel Silver-Diphosphine Complexes

It has been shown that the bis-chelated complex Au(dppe)2CI, dppe diphenylphosphinoethane and derivatives are active against a series of tumor cell lines [1]. Later, closely related silver diphosphine complexes were shown to be cytotoxic against B melanoma cells in vitro and P 388 leukemia in mice [2]. Furthermore, Cu-diphosphine complexes are also biologically active [3]. The diphosphine ligands have been suggested as the cytotoxic species, since they are also active but less than some of their metal complexes [3]. Chelation seems to be an essential condition for biological activity in these complexes.