Platinum(ii) clovers targeting G-quadruplexes and their anticancer activitiesElectronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Experimental details, supplementary tables and figures. See DOI: 10.1039/c4dt02760d

Two porphyrin-bridged tetranuclear platinum( ii ) complexes are found to effectively stabilize various kinds of G-quadruplexes. Their clover-like shape endows them with the capability of targeting G-quadruplexes rather than the double-stranded structure. Their excellent anticancer activity is the result of a dual effect, inhibition of the telomerase activity and repression of oncogene expression. The excellent anticancer activity of platinum( ii ) clovers is the result of a dual effect, inhibition of the telomerase activity and repression of oncogene expression.