No abstract

The synthesis, spectral characterization, and electrochemical properties of [Ru(phen)2(qdppz)]2+, which incorporates a quinone-fused dipyridophenazine ligand (naphtho[2,3-a]dipyrido[3,2-h:2',3'-f]phenazine-5,18-dione, qdppz), are described in detail. Chemical or electrochemical reduction of [Ru(phen)2(qdppz)]2+ leads to the generation of [Ru(phen)2(hqdppz)](2+)--a complex containing the hydroquinone form (hqdppz = 5,18-dihydroxynaphtho[2,3-a]-dipyrido[3,2-h:2',3'-f]phenazine) of qdppz. Absorption and viscometric titration, thermal denaturation, topoisomerase assay, and differential-pulse voltammetric studies reveal that [Ru(phen)2(qdppz)]2+ is an avid binder of calf-thymus DNA due to a strong intercalation by the ruthenium-bound qdppz, while [Ru(phen)2(hqdppz)]2+ binds to DNA less strongly than the parent "quinone"-containing complex. DNA-photocleavage efficiencies of these complexes also follow a similar trend in that the MLCT-excited state of [Ru(phen)2(qdppz)]2+ is more effective than that of [Ru(phen)2(hqdppz)]2+ in cleaving the supercoiled plasmid pBR 322 DNA (lambda exc = 440 +/- 5 nm), as revealed by the results of agarose gel electrophoresis experiments. The photochemical behaviors of both the quinone- and hydroquinone-appended ruthenium(II) complexes in the presence of DNA not only provide valuable insights into their modes of binding with the duplex but also lead to detailed investigations of their luminescence properties in nonaqueous, aqueous, and aqueous micellar media. On the basis of the results obtained, (i) a photoinduced electron transfer from the MLCT state to the quinone acceptor in Ru(phen)2(qdppz)]2+ and (ii) quenching of the excited states due to proton transfer from water to the dipyridophenazine ligand in both complexes are invoked to rationalize the apparent lack of emission of these redox-related complexes in the DNA medium.

Results of absorption titration, thermal denaturation, and differential pulse voltammetric experiments suggest that [Co(phen)2DPPZ]3+ and [Ni(phen)2DPPZ]2+ (phen = 1, 10-phenanthroline and DPPZ = dipyrido[3,2-a:2‘,3‘-c]phenazine) are both avid binders of calf thymus DNA. On the other hand, while the cobalt(III) complex has been found to effect the photocleavage of the supercoiled pBR 322 DNA, the nickel(II) complex is ineffective under similar experimental conditions.

The hexaflurophosphate and chloride salts of a series of ruthenium(II) complexes incorporating a new dipyridophenazine-based ligand, dicnq (6,7-dicyanodipyrido[2,2-d:2',3'-f]quinoxaline), are synthesized in good-to-moderate yields. These mono ([Ru(phen)2(dicnq)]2+; phen = 1,10-phenanthroline), bis ([Ru(phen)(dicnq)2]2+), and tris ([Ru(dicnq)3]2+) complexes are fully characterized by elemental analysis, infrared, FAB-MS, 1H NMR, and cyclic voltammetric methods. Results of absorption titration and thermal denaturation studies reveal that these complexes are moderately strong binders of calf-thymus (CT) DNA, with their binding constants spanning the range (1-3) x 10(4) M-1. On the other hand, under the identical set of experimental conditions of light and drug dose, the DNA (pBR 322)-photocleavage abilities of these ruthenium(II) complexes follow the order [Ru(phen)2(dicnq)]2+ > [Ru(phen)(dicnq)2]2+ >> [Ru(dicnq)3]2+, an order which is the same as that observed for their MLCT emission quantum yields. Steady-state emission studies carried out in nonaqueous solvents and in aqueous media with or without DNA reveal that while [Ru(dicnq)3]2+ is totally nonemissive under these solution conditions, both [Ru(phen)2(dicnq)]2+ and [Ru(phen)(dicnq)2]2+ are luminescent and function as "molecular light switches" for DNA. Successive addition of CT DNA to buffered aqueous solutions containing the latter two complexes results in an enhancement of the emission in each case, with the enhancement factors at saturation being approximately 16 and 8 for [Ru(phen)2(dicnq)]2+ and [Ru(phen)(dicnq)2]2+, respectively. These results are discussed in light of the relationship between the structure-specific deactivations of the MLCT excited states of these metallointercalators and the characteristic features of their DNA interactions, and attempts are made to compare and contrast their properties with those of analogous dipyridophenazine-based complexes, including the ones reported in the preceding paper.

A series of phosphorus(V), germanium(IV), and tin(IV) porphyrin-based, "axial-bonding"-type hybrid trimers have been readily constructed by employing a new "building-block" approach. The approach is modular in nature, and it involves simple "inorganic" reactions such as axial bond formation of main group element containing porphyrins and insertion of metal/"metalloid" ions into the porphyrin cavity. The architecture of these arrays is such that, while a phosphorus(V), germanium(IV), or tin(IV) complex of meso-5,10,15,20-(tetratolyl)porphyrin forms the basal scaffolding unit, the free-base, vanadyl, cobalt(II), nickel(II), copper(II), or zinc(II) porphyrins occupy the two axial sites via an aryloxy bridge. Synthesis of an "all-phosphorus" array containing three phosphorus(V) subunits has also been accomplished. Each new porphyrin array investigated in this study has been fully characterized by various physical methods that include mass (FAB), UV-visible, infrared, fluorescence, electron spin resonance (ESR), and (1)H and (31)P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR; 1D and 2D) spectroscopies and cyclic voltammetry. The UV-visible and ESR spectral parameters and also the redox potential data suggest that there exists no interaction between the pi-planes of the constituent monomeric porphyrins in these arrays. Detailed (1)H NMR investigations carried out with the trimers containing diamagnetic porphyrins reveal characteristic shielding/deshielding effects for the various protons on the axial porphyrin subunits. The ground state data, as probed by the spectroscopic and electrochemical techniques, collectively indicate that there exists a symmetric but nonparallel disposition of the two axial porphyrins with respect to plane of the central porphyrin. Singlet state activity of the photoactive trimers has been probed by the steady state fluorescence method with selective excitation into the bands corresponding to the two constituent monomeric species. Analysis of the fluorescence emission and excitation spectral data suggests the occurrence of electronic energy transfer as well as photoinduced electron transfer reactions in trimers endowed with free-base or zinc(II) porphyrin axial subunits. Efficiencies of the excited state processes of these trimeric arrays are shown to be dependent on the type of metal/metalloid ions present in the porphyrin crevice.