PT-ACRAMTU {[PtCl(en)(ACRAMTU)](NO3)2, 2; ACRAMTU = 1-[2-(acridin-9-ylamino)ethyl]-1,3-dimethylthiourea, 1, en = ethane-1,2-diamine} is the prototype of a series of DNA-targeted adenine-affinic dual intercalating/platinating agents. Several novel 4,9-disubstituted acridines and the corresponding platinum-acridine conjugates were synthesized. The newly introduced 4-carboxamide side chains contain H-bond donor/acceptor functions designed to promote groove- and sequence-specific platinum binding. In HL-60 (leukemia) and H460 (lung) cancer cells, IC50 values in the micromolar to millimolar range were observed. Several of the intercalators show enhanced cytotoxicity compared to prototype 1, but conjugate 2 appears to be the most potent hybrid agent. Enzymatic digestion assays in conjunction with liquid chromatography-electrospray mass spectrometry analysis indicate that the new conjugates produce PT-ACRAMTU-type DNA damage. Platinum-modified 2'-deoxyguanosine, dG, and several dinucleotide fragments, d(NpN)*, were detected. One of the conjugates showed significantly higher levels of binding to A-containing sites than conjugate 2 (35 +/- 3% vs 24 +/- 3%). Possible structure-activity relationships are discussed.