Phosphorus(V) corrole: DNA binding, photonuclease activity and cytotoxicity toward tumor cells

•A new phosphorus(V) corrole 1-P was synthesized and characterized.•The interaction of 1-P and calf thymus DNA (CT-DNA) was studied by multi-spectroscopic methods and the photonuclease activity of 1-P was examined by agarose gel electrophoresis.•Phosphorus(V) corrole exhibits significant photocytotoxic activity to tumor cells.

A new phosphorus(V) corrole, 10-(4-hydroxylphenyl)-5,15-bis(pentafluorophenyl)corrolato (trans-dihydroxo)phosphorus(V) 1-P, was synthesized and characterized. The interaction of 1-P with calf thymus DNA (CT-DNA) was studied by multi-spectroscopic methods. The photonuclease activity of this complex was examined by agarose gel electrophoresis. 1-P may bind to CT-DNA via an outside binding mode and display good photonuclease activity. 1-P displayed low dark toxicity but high photocytotoxic activity against H460 and A549 tumor cell lines.

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