Organotin polymers as anticancer and antiviral agents

Organotin polymers are easily synthesized employing interfacial polymerization systems involving the reaction of difunctional Lewis bases and organotin halides. A wide variety of organotin-containing polymeric products have been synthesized including the first water soluble organotin polymers. The organotin polymers exhibit a wide range of biological activities including the inhibition of a wide variety of cancer cell lines including cell lines associated with ovarian, colon, lung, prostrate, pancreatic and breast cancer. Some also inhibit a variety of viruses including those responsible for herpes infections and smallpox. The synthesis, structural characterization, and biological characterization of these materials are described in this review.