DNA Interactions Mediated by Cyclopentadienidoruthenium(II) Complexes Containing Water‐Soluble Phosphanes

The water-soluble ruthenium(II) complexes Na2[RuCpX(mTPPMS)2] [X = Cl (1), I (2)] and Nax[RuCp(mTPPMS)(PR13)(PR23)](OTf)y [PR13 = PR23 = PPh3 (3), PTA (4), x = y = 0; PR13 = mTPPMS, PR23 = PTA (5), x = 1, y = 0; PR13 = mTPPMS, PR23 = mPTA (6), x = y = 0; PR13 = PR23 = mTPPMS (7), x = 2, y = 0; PR13 = PPh3, PR23 = PTA (8), x = y = 0; PR13 = mPTA, PR23 = PPh3 (9), x = 0, y = 1; mTPPMS = Ph2P(3-OSO2C6H4)–; PTA = 1,3,5-triaza-7-phosphaadamantane; mPTA = N-methyl-1,3,5-triaza-7-phosphaadamantane] have been synthesized and characterised by elemental analysis, NMR and IR spectroscopy and crystallographic methods. The X-ray crystal structure determination of [RuCp(mTPPMS)(PPh3)(PTA)]·2H2O (8·2H2O), which is the first half-sandwich ruthenium complex bearing three different phosphanes, has also been determined. The binding properties of these new water-soluble ruthenium complexes towards DNA and the interaction of free mTPPMS with the nucleic acid have been studied using the mobility shift assay, which has shown that both the activity of the ruthenium complexes and the possible mechanism governing the interaction with DNA are strictly dependent on the composition of the complexes.(© Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2007)