A library of complexes that included iron, cobalt, nickel, and copper chelates of cyclam, cyclen, DOTA, DTPA, EDTA, tripeptide GGH, tetrapeptide KGHK, NTA, and TACN was evaluated for DNA nuclease activity, ascorbate consumption, superoxide and hydroxyl radical generation, and reduction potential under physiologically relevant conditions. Plasmid DNA cleavage rates demonstrated by combinations of each complex and biological coreactants were quantified by gel electrophoresis, yielding second-order rate constants for DNAsupercoiled to DNAnicked conversion up to 2.5 ×106 M-1min-1, and for DNAnicked to DNAlinear up to 7 ×105 M-1min-1. Relative rates of radical generation and characterization of radical species were determined by reaction with the fluorescent radical probe TEMPO-9-AC and rhodamine B. Ascorbate turnover rate constants ranging from 9.1×10-3 to 8.2 min-1 were determined, although many complexes demonstrated no measureable activity. Inhibition and Freifelder-Trumbo analysis of DNA cleavage supported concerted cleavage of dsDNA by a metal associated ROS in the case of Cu2+(aq), Cu-KGHK, Co-KGHK, and Cu-NTA and stepwise cleavage for Fe2+(aq), Cu-cyclam, Cu-cyclen, Co-cyclen, Cu-EDTA, Ni-EDTA, Co-EDTA, Cu-GGH, and Co-NTA. Reduction potentials varied over the range from -362 mV to +1111 mV versus NHE, and complexes demonstrated optimal catalytic activity in the range of the physiological redox coreactants ascorbate and peroxide (-66 to +380 mV).