Biologically inspired phosphino platinum complexes

Platinum complexes containing phosphino amino acid and amino acid ester ligands, built upon the PPhNR′2 platform, have been synthesized and characterized (PPhNR′2 = [1,3-diaza]-5-phenyl phosphacyclohexane), Rʹ = Gly (glycine) or Gly-ester (glycine ethyl ester). These complexes were characterized by 31P, 13C, 1H, 195Pt NMR spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry. The X-ray crystal structure of one of the complexes, [PtCl2(PPhNGly-ester2)2], is reported, confirming cis-square planar geometry about the platinum. These complexes provide a foundation upon which larger peptides can be attached, to allow the introduction of enzyme-like features onto small molecular catalysts.