Mixed-ligand copper(II)-phenanthroline-dipeptide complexes: synthesis, characterization, and DNA-cleavage properties

The mixed-ligand complexes [Cu(II)(HisLeu)(phen)](+) (1) and [Cu(II)(HisSer)(phen)](+) (2; phen=1,10-phenanthroline) were synthesized and characterized. The intercalative interaction of the Cu(II) complexes with calf-thymus DNA (CT-DNA) was probed by UV/VIS and fluorescence titration, as well as by thermal-denaturation experiments, and the intrinsic binding constants (K(b)) for the complexes with 1 and 2 were 4.2x10(3) and 4.9x10(3) M(-1), resp. Both complexes were found to be efficient catalysts for the hydrolytic cleavage of plasmid pUC19 DNA, as tested by gel electrophoresis, converting the DNA from the supercoiled to the nicked-circular form at rate constants of 1.32 and 1.40 h(-1) for 1 and 2, resp.