Contribution of h-bonding to the preference of platinum anti-tumour drugs for particular bases and particular cross-links.

The stereochemical factors that influence the tendencies for sequence specific binding of platinum antitumour drugs to DNA are examined. The NHs of the platinum-amine moiety can form hydrogen bonds to the O6 of guanine or to a phosphate oxygen of DNA. Modelling the stereochemistry of the NH atoms can lead to compounds with a strong preference for forming one type of adduct with DNA.