Synthesis, DNA-binding and photocleavage studies of ruthenium complexes [Ru(bpy)2(mitatp)]2+ and [Ru(bpy)2(nitatp)]2+

Two new ruthenium complexes [Ru(bpy)2(mitatp)](ClO4)21 and [Ru(bpy)2(nitatp)](ClO4)22 (bpy = 2,2′-bipyridine, mitatp = 5-methoxy-isatino[1,2-b]-1,4,8,9-tetraazatriphenylene, nitatp = 5-nitro-isatino[1,2-b]-1,4,8,9-tetraazatriphenylene) have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, 1H NMR, mass spectrometry and cyclic voltammetry. Spectroscopic and viscosity measurements proved that the two Ru(II) complexes intercalate DNA with larger binding constants than that of [Ru(bpy)2(dppz)]2+ (dppz = dipyrido[3,2-a:2′,3′-c]phenazine) and possess the excited lifetime of microsecond scale upon binding to DNA. Both complexes can efficiently photocleave pBR322 DNA in vitro under irradiation. Singlet oxygen (1O2) was proved to contribute to the DNA photocleavage process, the 1O2 quantum yields was determined to be 0.43 and 0.36 for 1 and 2, respectively. Moreover, a photoinduced electron transfer mechanism was also found to be involved in the DNA cleavage process.