Inorganic Chemistry, Vol.46, No.22, 9030-9032, 2007
Metal-based netropsin mimics showing AT-selective DNA binding and DNA cleavage activity at red light
Copper(II) bis-arginate [Cu(L-arg)(2)](NO3)(2) (1) and [Cu(L-arg)(phen)CI]CI (2) as mimics of the minor-groove-binding natural antibiotic netropsin show preferential binding to the AT-rich region of double-stranded DNA. The complexes with a d-d band near 600 nm display oxidative DNA cleavage activity on photoirradiation at UV-A light of 365 nm and at red light of 647.1 nm (Ar-Kr laser) in a metal-assisted photoexcitation process forming singlet oxygen ((1)O2) species in a type-2 pathway.