Anticancer investigation of platinum and copper-based complexes containing quinoxaline ligands

•Focused on synthesis and anticancer activity of dtq and dpq copper(II)/platinum(II) compounds.•The U87 and HeLa cells were investigated as the cancer cells most sensitive to the complexes.•Formation of the reactive oxygen species attributed to cytotoxic effect of the complexes in vitro.•Wound healing and invasion analysis results supported the highest anticancer activity of Cu(dtq).