Visible light irradiation of [Ru(phen)2(phendione)]2+ (phen = 1,10-phenanthroline; phendione = 1,10-phenanthroline-5,6-dione) leads to DNA nicking in an oxygen independent manner, as determined by plasmid cleavage assays under aerobic and anaerobic conditions.    Electrochemistry, EPR, and luminescence were used to further investigate the cleavage mechanism.  Results suggest the generation of a semiquinone radical upon the photoexcitation of the MLCT band in [Ru(phen)2(phendione)]2+.  DNA cleavage is suspected to be initiated by electron transfer from a DNA base, such as guanine, or from hydrogen atom abstraction from the deoxyribose. This paper will present these and additional mechanistic data of the cleavage mechanism and the potential applications of this system in photodynamic anti-cancer therapy.

Mechanism of the oxygen independent pathway of DNA cleavage by a Ru(II) polypyridyl complex

242nd National Meeting (2011)

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