11.01.2013 Views

Photochemistry and Photophysics of Coordination Compounds

Photochemistry and Photophysics of Coordination Compounds

Photochemistry and Photophysics of Coordination Compounds

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

244 M.T. Indelli et al.<br />

intercalation through the major groove [146]. A series <strong>of</strong> systematic NMR <strong>and</strong><br />

photocleavage studies clearly showed that the binding <strong>of</strong> complexes containing<br />

different ancillary lig<strong>and</strong>s occurs at a different specific DNA sequence.<br />

This site specificity results from both shape-selective steric interactions as<br />

well as stabilizing van der Waals <strong>and</strong> hydrogen bonding contacts. In particular,<br />

Rh(NH3)4phi 3+ <strong>and</strong> related amine complexes bind to d(TGGCCA)2<br />

duplex through hydrogen bonding between the ancillary amine lig<strong>and</strong>s <strong>and</strong><br />

DNA bases [130, 136]. Evidence for specific intercalation was found also for<br />

Rh(phen)2phi 3+ in the hexanucleotide d(GTCGAC)2 [134]. In this case Barton<br />

proposed that the site specificity was based upon shape-selection. Since<br />

thephenanthrolinelig<strong>and</strong>sprovidestericbulkabove<strong>and</strong>belowtheplane<strong>of</strong><br />

the phi lig<strong>and</strong>, the stacking occurs at sites which are more open in the major<br />

grove. The most striking example <strong>of</strong> site-specific recognition by shape<br />

selection with bulky ancillary lig<strong>and</strong>s was found for Rh(DPB)2phi 3+ (DPB<br />

=4,4 ′ -diphenylbpy) [140]. For all the complexes studied enantioselectivity<br />

favoring the intercalation <strong>of</strong> the ∆-isomer was observed [130, 147]. Further<br />

control <strong>of</strong> sequence specificity has been achieved by using derivatives <strong>of</strong><br />

Rh(phen)(phi)2 3+ complexes where the nonintercalating phenanthroline lig<strong>and</strong><br />

has been functionalized with pendant guanidinium group or with short<br />

oligopeptides [148, 149]. For metal-peptide complexes photocleavage experiments<br />

showed that the polypeptide chain is essential in directing the complex<br />

to a specific DNA sequence [149].<br />

Among the rhodium intercalators explored as probes <strong>of</strong> DNA structure,<br />

Barton selected the Rh(bpy)2chrysi 3+ (chrysi = 5,6-chrysenequinone diimine,<br />

31) complex as an ideal c<strong>and</strong>idate for mismatches recognition [150–152].<br />

The specific recognition is based on the size <strong>of</strong> the intercalating lig<strong>and</strong>: the<br />

chrysene ring system is too large to intercalate in normal B-form DNA but it<br />

can do so at destabilized mismatch sites. The authors point out that sterically<br />

dem<strong>and</strong>ing intercalators such as Rh(bpy)2chrysi 3+ may have application both<br />

in mutation detection systems <strong>and</strong> as mismatch-specific chemotherapeutic<br />

agents.<br />

Recently mixed-metal trimetallic complexes have been designed <strong>and</strong><br />

studied by Brewer to obtain supramolecular system capable <strong>of</strong> DNA photocleavage<br />

[153, 154]. These complexes <strong>of</strong> general formula [{(bpy)2M(dpp)}2<br />

RhCl2](PF6)5 with M = Ru(II) or Os(II) couple ruthenium or osmium chromophoric<br />

units to a central rhodium(III) core. When excited with visible light<br />

into their intense MLCT b<strong>and</strong>s, these complexes exhibit DNA photocleavage

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!