Cisplatin is normally activated by thermal substitution of its chloride ligands, producing aqua species known to bind DNA. However, thermal activation represents a drawback because makes it toxic towards healthy cells. Selective activation of metal complexes using visible light is a promising strategy to focus the drug toxicity only within the boundaries of cancerous tissues. The compound cis-[Ru(bpy)2(NCCH3)2]2+ (1  ) was reported to undergo acetonitrile dissociation in water only upon light irradiation of energy similar to its 1MLCT transition (420 nm, F = 0.22), producing aqua species that resemble the activated form of cisplatin, and were shown to bind to DNA. The synthesis of new Ru(II) bis-acetonitrile compounds that might exhibit dual DNA binding modes and complexes that can be activated with light of lower energy than 1  will be presented, as well as progress on the study of their photoinduced acetonitrile exchange by water and DNA binding abilities.

Polypyridine ruthenium(II) bis-acetonitrile complexes as photocisplatin analogs

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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