Synthesis and in vitro cytotoxicity study of three di-organotin(IV) Schiff base di-acylhydrazone complexes

Three di-organotin(IV) complexes have been synthesized by the reaction of Schiff base di-acylhydrazone ligands bis(5-chlorosalicylaldehyde) adipoylhydrazone and R₂SnCl₂ [R = Me (1), Ph (2), n-Bu (3)]. Structures of all complexes were characterized by ¹H, ¹³C, ¹¹⁹Sn NMR, elemental analysis, IR and mass spectrometry. Experimental results showed that the symmetric diacylhydrazone ligands coordinate the tin atom in a hexadentate form, where the tin atom shows a penta-coordination, in a distorted triangular bipyramid geometry. Using MTT method, in vitro cytotoxicity of three complexes was determined against three cancer cell lines (A549, HeLa, HepG-2). Studies reveal that complex 3 showed the strongest cytotoxic activity among the three complexes, which may be correlated with the generation of intracellular reactive oxygen species. Uptake of complex 3 into cells and promotion of reactive oxygen species were visualized by confocal fluorescence imaging.