Binding of Ru(bpy)2(eilatin)2+ to matched and mismatched DNA

The DNA-binding properties of Ru(bpy)2(eilatin)(2+) have been investigated to determine if the sterically expansive eilatin ligand confers specificity for destabilized single-base mismatches in DNA. Competitive DNA photocleavage experiments employing a sequence-neutral metallointercalator, Rh(bpy)2(phi)(3+) (phi = 9,10-phenanthrenequinonediimine), and a mismatch-specific metalloinsertor, Rh(bpy)2(chrysi)(3+) (chrysi = chrysene-5,6-quinonediimine), reveal that the eilatin complex binds to a CC mismatched site with an apparent binding constant of 2.2(2) x 10(6) M(-1). Nonetheless, the selectivity in binding mismatched DNA is not high: competitive titrations with Rh(bpy)2(phi)(3+) show that the complex binds also to well-matched B-form sites. Thus, Ru(bpy)2(eilatin)(2+), despite containing the extremely expansive eilatin ligand, displays lower selectivity for the mismatch than does Rh(bpy)2(chrysi)(3+), a metalloinsertor containing the smaller, though still bulky, chrysene-5,6-quinonediimine ligand. In summary, the size and shape of the eilatin ligand allow stacking with both well-matched and mismatched DNA.     

Correspondence of Ru(III) Ru(II) and Ru(IV) Ru(III) mixed valent states in a small dinuclear complex

The diruthenium(III) compound [(μ-oxa){Ru(acac)(2)}(2)] [1, oxa(2-) =oxamidato(2-), acac(-) =2,4-pentanedionato] exhibits an S=1 ground state with antiferromagnetic spin-spin coupling (J=-40 cm(-1)). The molecular structure in the crystal of 1?2 C(7)H(8) revealed an intramolecular metal-metal distance of 5.433 ? and a notable asymmetry within the bridging ligand. Cyclic voltammetry and spectroelectrochemistry (EPR, UV/Vis/NIR) of the two-step reduction and of the two-step oxidation (irreversible second step) produced monocation and monoanion intermediates (K(c) =10(5.9)) with broad NIR absorption bands (ε ca. 2000 M(-1)cm(-1)) and maxima at 1800 (1(-)) and 1500 nm (1(+)). TD-DFT calculations support a Ru(III)Ru(II) formulation for 1(-) with a doublet ground state. The 1(+) ion (Ru(IV)Ru(III)) was calculated with an S=3/2 ground state and the doublet state higher in energy (ΔE=694.6 cm(-1)). The Mulliken spin density calculations showed little participation of the ligand bridge in the spin accommodation for all paramagnetic species [(μ-oxa){Ru(acac)(2)}(2)](n), n=+1, 0, -1, and, accordingly, the NIR absorptions were identified as metal-to-metal (intervalence) charge transfers. Whereas only one such NIR band was observed for the Ru(III)Ru(II) (4d(5)/4d(6)) system 1(-), the Ru(IV)Ru(III) (4d(4)/4d(5)) form 1(+) exhibited extended absorbance over the UV/Vis/NIR range.     

DNA photocleavage by a supramolecular Ru(II)-viologen complex

A novel Ru(II) complex possessing two sequentially linked viologen units, Ru-V(1)-V(2)(6+), was synthesized and characterized. Upon excitation of the Ru(II) unit (lambda(exc) = 532 nm, fwhm approximately 10 ns), a long-lived charge-separated (CS) state is observed (tau = 1.7 micros) by transient absorption spectroscopy. Unlike Ru(bpy)(3)(2+), which cleaves DNA upon photolysis through the formation of reactive oxygen species, such as (1)O(2) and O(2)(-), the photocleavage of plasmid DNA by Ru-V(1)-V(2)(6+) is observed both in air and under N(2) atmosphere (lambda(irr) > 395 nm).     

Two-color luminescence from a tetranuclear Ir(III)/Ru(II) complex

A new tetranuclear compound containing Ru(II) and Ir(III) polypyridine subunits exhibits two independent emissions at room temperature, as a consequence of weak interchromophoric coupling; in contrast, at 77 K energy transfer from Ir-based chromophores to the Ru-based ones is quantitative.     

Enantioselective catalysis of Claisen rearrangement by DABNTf-Pd(II) complex

Two types of palladium complexes, cationic and neutral (R)-DABNTf-Pd(CH₃CN)₂ were examined as chiral catalysts for enantioselective Claisen rearrangement. DABNTf-Pd(CH₃CN)₂ complex gave high enantio- and anti-diastereoselectivity, and good yield. This Claisen rearrangement should proceed via six-membered boat transition state through bi-dentate coordination to the Pd catalyst.     

Nucleic acid-binding comparative studies and cytotoxic properties of a Ru(II) complex

The comparative studies on the interaction of a ruthenium(II) complex [Ru(IP)₂DPBPD(NH₂)₂]²⁺ (1) {IP?=?imidazole[4,5-f] [1,10] phenanthroline, DPBPD(NH₂)₂?=?2,4,5,6-tetraaminopyrimidine-[3,2-a:2??,3??-c]-phenazine} with CT-DNA (calf thymus DNA) and yeast tRNA have been investigated by different spectrophotometric methods and viscosity measurements. The antitumor activities of complex 1 have been evaluated by MTT {MTT?=?(3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide} method. On the basis of the spectroscopic results, the binding mode of complex 1 to CT-DNA and yeast tRNA are intercalation, and RNA binding of complex 1 is stronger than DNA binding. Furthermore, complex 1 is a better candidate for an enantioselective binder to yeast tRNA than to CT-DNA. The results can be explained by the different structure and configuration between CT-DNA and yeast tRNA reasonably, suggesting that the configuration and structure of nucleic acids have significant effects on the binding behaviors of metal complexes. On the other hand, the complex demonstrates different antitumor activity against selected tumor cell lines in vitro.     

Strain-induced substitutional lability in a Ru(II) complex of a hypodentate polypyridine ligand

The ruthenium(II) complex of heptadentate N,N,N',N'-tetrakis(2-pyridylmethyl)-2,6-bis(aminomethyl)pyridine (tpap) was isolated as the hexafluorophosphate complex Ru(tpap)(PF6)2. The crystal structure has been determined for the triflate salt Ru(tpap)(CF3SO3)2.2H2O, which crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2(1)/n. The structure was refined to a final R value of 0.0549 for 5894 observed reflections. The heptadentate ligand coordinates with six nitrogens, i.e. with two tertiary nitrogens and four pyridine nitrogens, one of the pyridines remaining un-coordinated. The resulting structure is significantly distorted from octahedral geometry with an equatorial Nsp3-Ru-Npyridine angle of 120 degrees. The consequence of the above steric strain is a labilization of the system and fluxional behaviour involving exchange between equatorially coordinated and non-coordinated pyridines has been observed by 1H NMR for Ru(tpap)(PF6)2 in d6-acetone solution. The activation parameters of DeltaG(not equal to 298) = 53 kJ mol(-1), DeltaH(not equal) = 56 +/- 1 kJ mol(-1) and DeltaS(not equal) = -10 +/- 3 J mol(-1) K(-1) were determined on the basis of NMR experiments. In addition electronic structure calculations applying density functional theory (DFT) have been performed in order to identify a transition state and to estimate the activation barrier. On the basis of NMR and DFT results the mechanism of isoexchange involving a hepta-coordinated intermediate has been proposed.     

Dual molecular light switches for pH and DNA based on a novel Ru(II) complex. A non-intercalating Ru(II) complex for DNA molecular light switch

A new Ru(II) complex of [Ru(phen)(2)(Hcdpq)](ClO(4))(2) {phen = 1,10-phenanthroline, Hcdpq = 2-carboxyldipyrido[3,2-f:2',3'-h]quinoxaline} was synthesized and characterized. The spectrophotometric pH and calf thymus DNA (ct-DNA) titrations showed that the complex acted as a dual molecular light switch for pH and ct-DNA with emission enhancement factors of 17 and 26, respectively. It was shown to be capable of distinguishing ct-DNA from yeast RNA with this binding selectivity being superior to two well-known DNA molecular light switches of [Ru(bpy)(2)(dppz)](2+) {bpy =2,2'-bipyridine, and dppz = dipyrido-[3,2-a:2',3'-c]phenazine}and ethidium bromide. The complex bond to ct-DNA probably in groove mode with a binding constant of (4.67 ± 0.06) × 10(3) M(-1) in 5 mM Tris-HCl, 50 mM NaCl (pH = 7.10) buffer solution, as evidenced by UV-visible absorption and luminescence titrations, the dependence of DNA binding constants on NaCl concentrations, DNA competitive binding with ethidium bromide, and emission lifetime and viscosity measurements. To get insight into the light-switch mechanism, theoretical calculations were also performed by applying density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT.     

CORM-3 reactivity toward proteins: the crystal structure of a Ru(II) dicarbonyl-lysozyme complex

CORM-3, [fac-Ru(CO)(3)Cl(κ(2)-H(2)NCH(2)CO(2))], is a well-known carbon monoxide releasing molecule (CORM) capable of delivering CO in vivo. Herein we show for the first time that the interactions of CORM-3 with proteins result in the loss of a chloride ion, glycinate, and one CO ligand. The rapid formation of stable adducts between the protein and the remaining cis-Ru(II)(CO)(2) fragments was confirmed by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-AES), Liquid-Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS), Infrared Spectroscopy (IR), and X-ray crystallography. Three Ru coordination sites are observed in the structure of hen egg white lysozyme crystals soaked with CORM-3. The site with highest Ru occupancy (80%) shows a fac-[(His15)Ru(CO)(2)(H(2)O)(3)] structure.     

Ru(II)-Catalyzed rearrangement of 2-aryl-2-(phenylthio)penta-3,4-dienyl 2,2,2-trichloroacetimidates

[RuCl₂(p-cymene)]₂ efficiently catalyzes the rearrangement of 2-aryl-2-(phenylthio)penta-3,4-dienyl 2,2,2-trichloroacetimidate to afford (Z)-2,2,2-trichloro-N-(4-aryl-1-(phenylthio)penta-2,4-dien-2-yl)acetamide. Ru carbene is assumed as the reactive intermediate in this rearrangement.     

Electrochemical and photoelectrochemical properties of a hybrid film made of Ru(II) complex and Zn(II)-substituted tungstoborate

Journal of Solid State Electrochemistry - A new hybrid film composed of Ru(II) polypyridyl complex cation of [(bpy)2Ru(L1)Ru(bpy)2]4+ {L1 = 1,6-bis-(2-(2-phenyl)benzimidazoyl)hexane,...     

Development of a heterobimetallic Ru(II)-Cu(II) complex for highly selective and sensitive luminescence sensing of sulfide anions

A heterobimetallic ruthenium(II)-copper(II) complex-based luminescent chemosensor, [Ru(bpy)(2)(bpy-DPA)Cu](4+) (bpy: 2,2'-bipyridine; bpy-DAP: 4-methyl-4'-[N,N-bis(2-picolyl)amino-methylene]-2,2'-bipydine), has been designed and synthesized for the highly selective and sensitive recognition and detection of sulfide anions in 100% aqueous solutions. Owing to the high affinity of sulfide to Cu(II), the non-luminescent chemosensor can specifically and rapidly react with sulfide to yield the corresponding ruthenium(II) complex, [Ru(bpy)(2)(bpy-DPA)](2+), accompanied by the remarkable luminescence enhancement. The dose-dependent luminescence enhancement of the sensor shows a good linearity with a detection limit of 20.7 nM for sulfide anions. The novel luminescence sensor has a widely available pH range from 4.5 to 10 and an excellent response selectivity to sulfide only even in the presence of various other anions. Based on this chemosensor, a rapid, selective and sensitive luminescence method for the detection of sulfide anions in wastewater samples was established. The coefficient variations (CVs) of the method are less than 3.1%, and the recoveries are in the range of 90.9-108.5%.     

A novel pathway for the synthesis of a carboxylic acid-functionalised Ru(II) terpyridine complex

A new terpyridinyl ruthenium(II) complex functionalised with a carboxylic acid moiety was synthesised. This complex was prepared according to two different pathways. The first one successively involves protection of the carboxylic group on the ligand before formation of the complex followed by hydrolysis. The second one is a new route based on oxidation of a furan ring directly on the complex.     

Spectroscopic and computational studies of a Ru(II) terpyridine complex: the importance of weak intermolecular forces to photophysical properties

The complex [Ru(tpy)(CO)(2)TFA]+[PF(6)]- (where tpy = 2,2':6',2' '-terpyridine and TFA = CF(3)CO(2)-) (1) has been synthesized and fully characterized spectroscopically. The X-ray structure of the complex has been determined. The photopysical properties of the ruthenium complex and the free ligand tpy have been investigated at room temperature and at 77 K in acetonitrile solution and in the solid state. Their electronic spectra are highly influenced by intermolecular stacking interactions, both in solution and in the solid state. Density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT (TDDFT) calculations have been performed to characterize the electronic structure and the excited states of [Ru(tpy)(CO)(2)TFA]+[PF(6)]- and tpy. TDDFT calculations on three different conformations of free ligand have been performed as well. Absorption and emission spectra of tpy have been studied at different temperatures and concentrations in order to have a better understanding of this ruthenium derivative's properties. The absorption spectrum of 1 is characterized by metal-perturbed ligand-centered (LC) bands in the UV region. No metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) bands are observed in the visible for the complex. Only at high concentrations (10(-4) M) does a very weak band appear at 470 nm. At 77 K and low concentrations, solutions of 1 exhibit a major 3LC emission band centered at 468 nm (21.4 x 10(-3) cm(-1)). When the concentration of the complex is increased, an unstructured narrow emission at 603 nm (16.6 x 10(-3) cm(-1)), with a lifetime of 10 micros, dominates the emission spectrum in glassy acetonitrile. This emission originates from a pi-pi stacked dimeric (or oligomeric) species. TDDFT calculations performed on a tail-to-tail dimer structure, similar to that seen in the solid state, ascribe the transition to a triplet excited state, where intermolecular metal (d) --> ligand (pi*, polypyridine) charge transfer occurs. A good estimate of the transition energy is also obtained (623 nm, 1.94 eV).     

Photoinduced energy- and electron-transfer processes in dinuclear Ru(II)-Os(II), Ru(II)-Os(III), and Ru(III)-Os(II) trisbipyridine complexes containing a shape-persistent macrocyclic spacer.

The PF6- salt of the dinuclear [(bpy)2Ru(1)Os(bpy)2]4+ complex, where 1 is a phenylacetylene macrocycle which incorporates two 2,2'-bipyridine (bpy) chelating units in opposite sites of its shape-persistent structure, was prepared. In acetonitrile solution, the Ru- and Os-based units display their characteristic absorption spectra and electrochemical properties as in the parent homodinuclear compounds. The luminescence spectrum, however, shows that the emission band of the Ru(II) unit is almost completely quenched with concomitant sensitization of the emission of the Os(II) unit. Electronic energy transfer from the Ru(II) to the Os(II) unit takes place by two distinct processes (k(en) = 2.0x10(8) and 2.2x10(7) s(-1) at 298 K). Oxidation of the Os(II) unit of [(bpy)2Ru(1)Os(bpy)2]4+ by Ce(IV) or nitric acid leads quantitatively to the [(bpy)2Ru(II)(1)Os(III)(bpy)2]5+ complex which exhibits a bpy-to-Os(III) charge-transfer band at 720 nm (epsilon(max) = 250 M(-1) cm(-1)). Light excitation of the Ru(II) unit of [(bpy)2Ru(II)(1)Os(III)(bpy)2]5+ is followed by electron transfer from the Ru(II) to the Os(III) unit (k(el,f) = 1.6x10(8) and 2.7x10(7) s(-1)), resulting in the transient formation of the [(bpy)2Ru(III)(1)Os(II)(bpy)2]5+ complex. The latter species relaxes to the [(bpy)2Ru(II)(1)Os(III)(bpy)2]5+ one by back electron transfer (k(el,b) = 9.1x10(7) and 1.2x10(7) s(-1)). The biexponential decays of the [(bpy)2*Ru(II)(1)Os(II)(bpy)2]4+, [(bpy)2*Ru(II)(1)Os(III)(bpy)2]5+, and [(bpy)2Ru(III)(1)Os(II)(bpy)2]5+ species are related to the presence of two conformers, as expected because of the steric hindrance between hydrogen atoms of the pyridine and phenyl rings. Comparison of the results obtained with those previously reported for other Ru-Os polypyridine complexes shows that the macrocyclic ligand 1 is a relatively poor conducting bridge.     

Orientation tuning of a polypyridyl Ru(II) complex immobilized on a clay surface toward chiral discrimination

The present work reports an attempt to elucidate a stereoselective energy-transfer system by immobilizing a chiral metal complex on a clay surface. The metal complex used was [Ru(bpy)2L(i)]2+ with L1 = bpy (2,2'-bipyridine), L2 = 4,4'-diundecyl-2,2'-bipyridine, and L3 = 5,5'-diundecyl-2,2'-bipyridine. The adsorption structure of [Ru(bpy)2L(i)]2+ was studied by means of electric dichroism measurements on an aqueous dispersion of a colloidal clay. It was found that the molecular orientation of the adsorbed Ru(II) complex was affected remarkably by the positions of the alkyl chains on the bpy ligand; that is, the angle of the 3-fold or pseudo-3-fold symmetry axis of the Ru(II) complex with respect to the surface normal was obtained to be 24 degrees, 30 degrees, and 52 degrees for i = 1, 2, and 3, respectively. The efficiency of the energy-transfer was determined by photoluminescence quenching measurements between the adsorbed Ru(II) complex and [Ru(acac)3] (acac = acetylacetonate) in solution. As a result, stereoselectivity appeared most for the case of [Ru(bpy)2L3]2+ in which its two helically twisted bpy ligands were projected in an outward direction.     

Photoredox vs. energy transfer in a Ru(II)-Fe(II) supramolecular complex built with an heteroditopic bipyridine-terpyridine ligand

A trinuclear [[Ru(II)(bpy)(2)(bpy-terpy)](2)Fe(II)](6+) complex (I) in which a Fe(II)-bis-terpyridine-like centre is covalently linked to two Ru(II)-tris-bipyridine-like moieties by a bridging bipyridine-terpyridine ligand has been synthesised and characterised. Its electrochemical, photophysical and photochemical properties have been investigated in CH(3)CN and compared with those of mononuclear model complexes. The cyclic voltammetry of (I) exhibits, in the positive region, two successive reversible oxidation processes, corresponding to the Fe(III)/Fe(II) and Ru(III)/Ru(II) redox couples. These systems are clearly separated (DeltaE(1/2) = 160 mV), demonstrating the lack of an electronic connection between the two subunits. The two oxidized forms of the complex, [[Ru(II)(bpy)(2)(bpy-terpy)](2)Fe(III)](7+) and [[Ru(III)(bpy)(2)(terpy-bpy)](2)Fe(III)](9+), obtained after two successive exhaustive electrolyses, are stable. (I) is poorly luminescent, indicating that the covalent linkage of the Ru(II)-tris-bipyridine to the Fe(II)-bis-terpyridine subunit leads to a strong quenching of the Ru(II)* excited state by energy transfer to the Fe(II) centre. Luminescence lifetime experiments show that the process occurs within 6 ns. The nature of the energy transfer process is discussed and an intramolecular energy exchange is proposed as a preferable deactivation pathway. Nevertheless this energy transfer can be efficiently quenched by an electron transfer process in the presence of a large excess of the 4-bromophenyl diazonium cation, playing the role of a sacrificial oxidant. Finally complete photoinduced oxidation of (I) has been performed by continuous photolysis experiments in the presence of a large excess of this sacrificial oxidant. The comparison with a mixture of the corresponding mononuclear model complexes has been made.     

Catalytic activity of a half-sandwich Ru(II)-N-heterocyclic carbene complex in the oligomerization of alkynes

The ruthenium(II)-N-heterocyclic carbene complex, [RuCl₂(1-butyl-3-methylimidazol-2-ylidene)(p-cymene)] selectively catalyzes oligomerization of phenylacetylene (PA) and its derivatives to linear oligomers, containing positively charged imidazolium end-group and uncharged ones. The charged oligomer chain consists of maximum 9-11 PA monomer units after 36 h reaction at 80 °C whereas mainly pentamers are formed as other products. The H₂ atmosphere retards oligomerization of PA and hydrogenation to vinylbenzene and ethylbenzene is observed instead.     

Photoinduced energy transfer coupled to charge separation in a Ru(II)-Ru(II)-acceptor triad

The bichromophoric system Ru-Ru(C)-PI ([(bpy)3Ru-Ph-Ru(dpb)(Metpy-PI)][PF6]3, where bpy is 2,2'-bipyridine, Hdpb is 1,3-di(2-pyridyl)-benzene, Metpy is 4'-methyl-2,2':6',2' '-terpyridine and PI is pyromellitimide) containing two Ru(II) polypyridyl chromophores with a N6 and a N5C ligand set, respectively, was synthesized and characterized. Its photophysical properties were investigated and compared to those of the monochromophoric cyclometalated complexes Ru(C)-PI ([Ru(dpb)(Metpy-PI)][PF6]), Ru(C)-phi-PI ([Ru(dpb)(ttpy-PI)][PF6], ttpy is 4'-p-tolyl-2,2':6',2' '-terpyridine), Ru(C)-phi ([Ru(dpb)(ttpy)][PF6]), and Ru(C) ([Ru(dpb)(Metpy)][PF6]). Excitation of the Ru(C) unit in the dyads leads to oxidative quenching, forming the Ru(C)(III)-phi-PI*- and Ru(C)(III)-Pl.- charge-separated (CS) states with k(f)(ET) = 7.7 x 10(7) s(-1) (CH3CN, 298 K) in the tolyl-linked Ru(C)-phi-PI and k(f)(ET) = 4.4 x 10(9) s(-1) (CH2Cl2, 298 K) in the methylene-linked Ru(C)-PI. In the Ru-Ru(C)-PI triad, excitation of the Ru(C) chromophore leads to dynamics similar to those in the Ru(C)-PI dyad, generating the Ru(II)-Ru(C)(III)-PI*- CS state, whereas excitation of the Ru unit results in an initial energy transfer (k(EnT) = 4.7 x 10(11) s(-1)) to the cyclometalated Ru(C) unit. Subsequent electron transfer to the PI acceptor results in the formation of the same Ru(II)-Ru(C)(III)-PI*- CS state with k(f)(ET) = 5.6 x 10(9) s(-1) that undergoes rapid recombination with k(b)(ET) = 1 x 10(10) s(-1) (CH2Cl2, 298 K). The fate of the Ru(II)-Ru(C)(III)-PI*- CS state upon a second photoexcitation was studied by pump-pump-probe experiments in an attempt to detect the fully charge-separated Ru(III)-Ru(C)(II)-PI*- state.