Azido carbonyl compounds as DNA cleaving agents

Irradiation of azido carbonyl compounds using UV light (⩾310 nm) produced triplet alkyl nitrenes and aroyl radicals, which resulted in efficient cleavage of single strand DNA at pH 7.0. DNA cleaving ability of azido carbonyl compounds was found to be dependent on its concentration and substituents on its aromatic ring. Further, newly synthesized naphthalene based azido carbonyl compounds showed DNA cleavage ability at longer wavelength of UV light (⩾350 nm) and also binding studies revealed that they bind to ct-DNA by weak intercalation mode.

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► Azido carbonyl compounds showed efficient DNA cleavage upon photo irradiation.
► DNA cleaving ability of azido carbonyls were dependent on their structure.
► Among azido carbonyls, β azido carbonyls showed better DNA cleaving ability.
► Naphthalene based azido carbonyls can bind to ct-DNA via intercalation mode.