Bis{oxo-bis[(2-pyridinecarboxylato)dibutyltin(IV)]} was synthesized by the reaction of 2-pyridinecarboxylic acid with dibutyltin(IV) oxide. The compound was tested against two human tumour cell lines: MCF-7 and WiDr. The results showed that this compound had higher activities in vitro. The compound has been characterized by elemental analysis, IR and ¹¹⁹Sn NMR and determined by X-ray single crystal diffraction. The compound isin centrosymmetric dimer structure mode with a four-member central endo-cyclic Sn₂O₂ unit in which the bridging oxygen atoms are tri-coordinated. Each bridging oxygen atom also connects with an exo-cyclic tin atom. The endo-cyclic tin atoms are five-coordinated with geometry of distorted trigonalbipyramid, while the exo-cyclic tin atoms are six-coordinated with geometry of distorted octahedron.

Key words: organotin, 2-pyridinecarboxylic acid, synthesis, crystal structure