DNA-BINDING AND CHEMISTRY OF DINUCLEAR PLATINUM COMPLEXES

This Comment summarises the chemistry and DNA binding of dinuclear platinum-amine, or bis(platinum), complexes, a new class of potent antitumor agents. In these structures, the Pt coordination spheres are bridged by variable-length diamine chains. The DNA binding of these species produces an array of structurally distinct adducts not available to mononuclear analogs such as cis-[PtCl2(NH3)(2)]. The possibility of tri- and tetra-substitution inherent in the dinuclear structure poses interesting challenges for design of complexes capable of specific DNA binding. Besides the utility of the dinuclear structure in design of novel antitumor agents, the unique DNA binding modes of these species allow their use as probes of DNA structure and conformation.