Ruthenium polypyridyl complexes; their interaction with DNA and their role as sensitisers for its photocleavage
Abstract
The excited state of the 1,4,5,8-tetra-azaphenanthrene complex, [Ru(TAP)3]2+, which unlike [Ru(phen)3]2+(phen = 1,10-phenanthroline) or [Ru(bipy)3]2+(bipy = 2,2′-bipyridyl) is strongly quenched upon binding to poly[d(G–C)], is found to be much more effective than either [Ru(phen)3]2+ or [Ru(bipy)3]2+ in causing cleavage of the DNA backbone.