Ruthenium polypyridyl complexes and their modes of interaction with DNA: Is there a correlation between these interactions and the antitumor activity of the compounds?

Various interaction modes between a group of six ruthenium polypyridyl complexes and DNA have been studied using a number of spectroscopic techniques. Five mononuclear species were selected with formula [Ru(tpy)L(1)L(2)]((2-n)+), and one closely related dinuclear cation of formula [{Ru(apy)(tpy)}(2){mu-H(2)N(CH(2))(6)NH(2)}](4+). The ligand tpy is 2,2':6',2''-terpyridine and the ligand L(1) is a bidentate ligand, namely, apy...