A Break In Communication: The Synthesis, Characterization, DNA Binding and Photocleavage of a Novel Ruthenium Polypyridyl Complex Containing an Electronically Isolated Pyrene Group
type: CreativeWork
description: A novel complex [Ru(bpy)2bpy-py]2+ (where bpy= 2,2’-bipyridine and bpy-py=N-(6-(4-(pyren-1-yl) butanamido) hexyl)-[2,2'-bipyridine]-5-carboxamide))) has been synthesized. The effect of electronically isolating the pyrene from the metal core on the complex’s ability to bind to and photocleave DNA was studied. Other molecules such as 1-pyreneacetic acid and [Ru(bpy)2dep]2+ (where dep= N-(6-aminohexyl)-[2,2'-bipyridine]-5-carboxamide), which share structural similarities to [Ru(bpy)2bpy-py]2+, were also studied to help determine which areas of the [Ru(bpy)2bpy-py]2+ molecule may be responsible for interacting with DNA. Spectroscopic experiments including isothermal and competitive binding titrations in addition to the hydrodynamic technique of viscometry were used to show that [Ru(bpy)2bpy-py]2+ binds to DNA with a binding constant of 8 x 105 and 1x106 M-1 (binding constants calculated using isothermal and competitive binding experiments, respectively). Agarose gel electrophoresis, used to assess photocleavage, gave ambiguous results. Additional fluorometric experiments revealed that a transfer of energy from the pyrene portion of the complex to the ruthenium core may be occurring.
abstract: A novel complex [Ru(bpy)2bpy-py]2+ (where bpy= 2,2’-bipyridine and bpy-py=N-(6-(4-(pyren-1-yl) butanamido) hexyl)-[2,2'-bipyridine]-5-carboxamide))) has been synthesized. The effect of electronically isolating the pyrene from the metal core on the complex’s ability to bind to and photocleave DNA was studied. Other molecules such as 1-pyreneacetic acid and [Ru(bpy)2dep]2+ (where dep= N-(6-aminohexyl)-[2,2'-bipyridine]-5-carboxamide), which share structural similarities to [Ru(bpy)2bpy-py]2+, were also studied to help determine which areas of the [Ru(bpy)2bpy-py]2+ molecule may be responsible for interacting with DNA. Spectroscopic experiments including isothermal and competitive binding titrations in addition to the hydrodynamic technique of viscometry were used to show that [Ru(bpy)2bpy-py]2+ binds to DNA with a binding constant of 8 x 105 and 1x106 M-1 (binding constants calculated using isothermal and competitive binding experiments, respectively). Agarose gel electrophoresis, used to assess photocleavage, gave ambiguous results. Additional fluorometric experiments revealed that a transfer of energy from the pyrene portion of the complex to the ruthenium core may be occurring.
author: Klein, Samantha
keywords: Chemistry
date published: 2019-05-01T07:00:00Z
date modified: 2026-07-24T01:23:46Z
provider: Bryn Mawr University
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Bryn Mawr University