Correlation between cytotoxicity and DNA binding of polypyridyl ruthenium complexes

The chloropolypyridyl ruthenium complexes display cytotoxicity in murine and human tumor cell lines, and complexation to DNA at guanine residues forms interstrand crosslinks involved in the biological effects of ruthenium complexes. The ruthenium complexes investigated have the structural formulas Ru(terpy)(bpy) Cl Cl, cis- Ru(bpy)2Cl2 and mer- Ru(terpy) Cl3 (terpy = 2,2':6'2'-terpyridine, bpy = 2,2'-bipyridyl).