pteridine ) complexes

The Synthesis and Characterization of Ru(bpy)2(L-pteridine) and Ru(phen)2(L-pteridine) complexes Ruthenium (II) polypyridyl complexes are very important biochemical compounds because of their interactions with DNA. In this study, these complexes are analyzed to understand how their physical properties, chemical properties, and interactions with DNA are affected by structural differences of the L-pteridine ligands, and by exchanging the bipyridine (bpy) ligand for the phenanthroline (phen) ligand. The Burgmayer group has currently synthesized eleven [Ru(bpy)2(Lpteridine)] 2+ complexes. One facet of this summer research involves the synthesis of [Ru(phen)2(L-pteridine)] 2+ analogs of the bpy versions that have been made by the Burgmayer group. The phen complexes and the bpy forms differ by the presence of an additional benzene ring on the phen ligand (see figure 1). (1) (2) Figure 1. (1) An example of a Ru(bpy)2(L-pteridine)] 2+ complex, where the L-pteridine is the L-pterin ligand. (2) The phen version of the same compound. The other facet of this summer research involves the photocleavage and DNA intercalation abilities of both the phen and bpy versions of the Ru(L-pteridine) compounds. When certain complexes are exposed to UV light, they are able to nick DNA, a process called photocleavage. The photocleavage ability of the various compounds is analyzed using gel electrophoresis. The relative rates of the compounds to intercalate DNA are analyzed by viscosity tests. It is known that with certain Ru(bpy)2(Lpteridine) complexes, the L-pteridine ligand intercalates with DNA. There is evidence that with a similar compound, a ruthenium (II) tris-phen complex, the ligand intercalates