Oxidative DNA cleavage by Cu(II) complexes of 1,10-phenanthroline-5,6-dione

A dimeric dichloro-bridged copper(II) complex Cu₂(pdon)₂Cl₄] · 2DMF (1) and two mononuclear copper(II) complexes Cu(pdon)(DMSO)Cl₂] · DMSO · H₂O (2) and Cu(pdon)₃] · (ClO₄)₂ · 2.25CH₃CN · 6H₂O (3) (pdon = 1,10-phenanthroline-5,6-dione) have been synthesized and characterized. Variable-temperature magnetic susceptibility studies indicate the existence of weak anti-ferromagnetic coupling in the binuclear complex. The interaction of these complexes with CT-DNA (calf thymus DNA) has been studied using absorption and emission spectral methods. The apparent binding constants (K _app) for 1, 2 and 3 are 5.20 × 10⁵, 2.68 × 10⁵ and 7.05 × 10⁵ M^?1, respectively, showing moderate intercalative binding modes. All of these complexes cleave plasmid DNA to nicked DNA in a sequential manner as the concentration or reaction time is increased. The cleavage mechanism between the complex and plasmid DNA is likely to involve singlet oxygen ¹O₂ and ?OH as reactive oxygen species.