Ruthenium coordination compounds with polypyridines .7. Non-intercalative binding of Ru(II) complexes with calf thymus DNA

Two new ruthenium polypyridine complexes, L(2)RUL'(2+), where L=2,2'-bipyridine (bpy) and 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline (dmp); L' is Schiff base prepared from condensation of 4,5-diazanuoren-9-one (AFO) and aniline, have been prepared and characterized by elemental analyses,electronic absorption, IR spectra The binding of the complexes to calf thymus DNA has been investigated by absorption, emission spectra and circular dichroism spectroscopy. Experimental results show these two complexes bind to DNA by electrostatic mode and non-intercalative binding mode.