New arylbismuth(lll) oxinates, PhBi(MeOx)2, (p-MeC6H4)Bi(Ox)2, (p-MeC6H4)Bi(MeOx)2,
(p-ClC6H4)Bi(Ox)2, and (p-ClC6H4)Bi(MeOx)2 (Ox− = quinolin-8-olate and MeOx−=2-methylquinolin-8-olate) have been prepared by reaction of the appropriate diarylbismuth chlorides
with Na(Ox) or Na(MeOx) in the presence of 15-crown-5. An X-ray crystallographic study has shown
PhBi(MeOx)2 to be a five coordinate monomer with distorted square pyramidal stereochemistry.
Chelating MeOx ligands have a cisoid arrangement in the square plane and the phenyl group is
apical. The lattice is stabilised by significant π-π interactions between centrosymmetric molecules.
A range of these complexes has been shown to have high in vitro biological activity
(comparable with or better than cisplatin) against L1210 leukaemia, the corresponding cisplatin
resistant line, and a human ovarian cell line, SKOV-3. However, initial in vivo testing against a solid
mouse plasmacytoma (PC6) and P388 leukaemia has not revealed significant activity.
