Light-activated alternatives to chemotherapy drugs are desired to reduce the toxicity and resistance that plague current inorganic drugs, such as Cisplatin.  Upon irradiation, [Rh2(OOCCH3)2(CH3CN)6]2+ exhibits a 34-fold increase in toxicity towards Hs-27 human skin cells, making it a potential photo-chemotherapeutic agent; irradiation with visible light causes ligand exchange of CH3CN for solvent water molecules to form a labile intermediate that is able to bind to nucleobase sites on DNA.  Here, the photochemistry and biological activity of two new complexes, [Rh2(HNOCCH3)2(bpy)(CH3CN)4]2+ and [Rh2(HNOCCH3)2(dppz)(CH3CN)4]2+, are explored.  Photochemical studies show that these complexes exchange one CH3CN ligand for solvent H2O molecules when irradiated.  DNA viscosity, ESI-MS, and 2D NMR experiments suggest that the compounds are stable toward DNA in the dark, but upon irradiation with visible light, they form covalent adducts with DNA.

Photo-induced interactions between dirhodium complexes and DNA

246th National Meeting (2013)

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