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Virginia Tech

Ruthenium-Platinum Polypyridyl Complexes: Synthesis and Characterization

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

A series of bimetallic (Ru<sup>II</sup>, Pt<sup>II</sup) complexes were synthesized with the general formula [(tpy)RuCl(BL)PtCl₂](PF₆) (tpy = 2,2':6',2"-terpyridine and BL = bridging ligand) and their spectroscopic, electrochemical, and DNA binding properties studied. The bridging ligands used in these complexes were 2,3-bis(2'-pyridyl)pyrazine (dpp), 2,3-bis(2'-pyridyl)quinoxaline (dpq) and 2,3-bis(2'-pyridyl)benzoquinoxaline (dpb). These complexes combine light-absorbing Ru<sup>II</sup>-polypyridyl chromophores and a cis-PtCl₂ structural motif known to bind DNA. The Ru-bound chloride may be substituted, enabling further modification of the spectroscopic properties. The synthesis of [(tpy)RuCl(BL)PtCl₂](PF₆) utilizes a building block approach that allows modifications to the series of complexes within the general synthetic scheme. This illustrates the applicability of this scheme to the development of new series of complexes. The lowest-energy absorption for the three complexes is assigned to a Ru(dπ) → BL(π*) charge transfer transition. This transition shifts to lower energy as the ligand is varied from dpp to dpq to dpb. The first and second reductions are BL<sup>0/-</sup> and BL<sup>-/2-</sup> based and shift to more positive potentials from dpp to dpq to dpb. The Ru<sup>II/III</sup> redox couple remains at a nearly constant potential for the series. All three compounds show DNA binding when incubated with linearized plasmid DNA. Adduct formation was assessed by agarose gel electrophoresis as a retardation of band migration.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Master of Science
Level thesis:degree_level
masters
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Chemistry
Department dc:contributor.department
Chemistry
Grantor dc:publisher
Virginia Tech
Year dc:date.issued
2001

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Williams, R. Lee
Chair dc:contributor.committeechair
  • Brewer, Karen J.
Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember
  • Tissue, Brian M.
  • Deck, Paul A.
  • Winkel, Brenda S. J.

Subjects

dc:subject × 8

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • In Copyright

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Dc Identifier Other
etd-08212001-145348
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/44315

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Virginia Tech
Base URL
vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Williams, R. Lee. Ruthenium-Platinum Polypyridyl Complexes: Synthesis and Characterization. masters thesis, Virginia Tech, 2001. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/44315