Fluorescent studies on the interaction of DNA and ternary lanthanide complexes with cinnamic acid‐phenanthroline and antibacterial activities testing

Twelve lanthanide complexes with cinnamate (cin^–) and 1,10‐phenanthroline (phen) were synthesized and characterized. Their compositions were assumed to be RE(cin)₃phen (RE³⁺ = La³⁺, Pr³⁺, Nd³⁺, Sm³⁺, Eu³⁺, Gd³⁺, Tb³⁺, Dy³⁺, Ho³⁺, Tm³⁺, Yb³⁺, Lu³⁺). The interaction mode between the complexes and DNA was investigated by fluorescence quenching experiment. The results indicated the complexes could bind to DNA and the main binding mode is intercalative binding. The fluorescence quenching constants of the complexes increased from La(cin)₃phen to Lu(cin)₃phen. Additionally, the antibacterial activity testing showed that the complexes exhibited excellent antibacterial ability against Escherichia coli, and the changes of antibacterial ability are in agreement with that of the fluorescence quenching constants. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.