Ruthenium(II) complexes of 2-(2′-pyridyl)naphthoimidazole: synthesis, characterization and DNA-binding studies

The perchlorate salts of two new ruthenium(II) complexes incorporating 2-(2′-pyridyl)naphthoimidazole are synthesized in good yield. Complexes [Ru(phen)2(PYNI)]2+ (phen = 1,10-phenanthroline) 1 and [Ru(dmp)2(PYNI)]2+ (dmp = 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline, PYNI = 2-(2′-pyridyl)naphthoimidazole) 2 are fully characterized by elemental analysis, FAB-MS, ES-MS, 1H NMR and cyclic voltammetric methods. The DNA-binding behavior of the complexes have been studied by spectroscopic titration, viscosity measurements and thermal denaturation. Absorption titration and thermal denaturation studies reveal that these complexes are moderately strong binders of calf-thymus DNA (CT-DNA), with their binding constants spanning the range (2.73–5.35) × 104 M−1. The experimental results show that 1 interacts with calf thymus DNA (CT-DNA) by intercalative mode, while 2 binds to CT-DNA by partial intercalation.