DNA-binding and cleavage activity of polypyridyl ruthenium(II) complexes

Polypyridyl ruthenium(II) complexes [Ru^II(3-bptpy)(dmphen)Cl]ClO₄ (1), [Ru^II(3-cptpy)(dmphen)Cl]ClO₄ (2), [Ru^II(2-tptpy)(dmphen)Cl]ClO₄ (3), and [Ru^II(9-atpy)(dmphen)Cl]ClO₄ (4) {where 3-bptpy?=?4′-(3-bromophenyl)-2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine, 3-cptpy?=?4′-(3-chlorophenyl)-2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine, 2-tptpy?=?4′-(2-thiophenyl)-2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine, 9-atpy?=?4′-(9-anthryl)-2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine, dmphen?=?2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline} have been synthesized and characterized. The DNA-binding properties of the complexes with Herring Sperm DNA have been investigated by absorption titration and viscosity measurements. The ability of complexes to break the pUC19 DNA has been checked by gel electrophoresis. The experimental results suggest that all the complexes bind DNA via partial intercalation. The results also show that the order of DNA-binding affinities of the complexes is 4?3?2?1, confirming that planarity of the ligand in a complex is very important for DNA-binding.