Synthesis and anticancer activity of six tricyclohexyltin cinnamate complexes

Six tricyclohexyl tin cinnamate complexes (C1 ∼ C6) were successfully synthesized and were characterized. The crystal structures of C1, C2, C4, and C5 were determined. Among them, complexes C1, C2 and C5 form a one-dimensional infinite chain structure through SnO interactions or O-H…O hydrogen bonds. All complexes were tested for their inhibitory activity against human cancer cell lines A549, HepG2, and MDA-MB-231. The results showed that the C2 complex demonstrated the most significant inhibitory effect on HepG2 cells, with an IC₅₀ value of 1.31 ± 0.47 μM. Preliminary studies indicate that the C2 complex induces a reduction in mitochondrial membrane potential in HepG2 cells, triggering apoptosis via the mitochondrial pathway accompanied by cell cycle arrest at the G2 phase. The DNA binding activity of C2 was investigated using ultraviolet-visible, fluorescence competition assays and molecular docking, revealing that C2 can effectively intercalate the DNA groove.