Ruthenium(II) complexes of saccharin with dipyridoquinoxaline and dipyridophenazine: Structures, biological interactions and photoinduced DNA damage activity

Abstract Ruthenium complexes trans -[Ru(sac) 2 (dpq) 2 ] ( 1 ) and trans -[Ru(sac) 2 (dppz) 2 ] ( 2 ) where sac is artificial sweetener saccharin ( o -sulfobenzimide; 1,2-benzothiazole-3(2H)-one1,1-dioxide (Hsac)), dpq = dipyrido[3,2-d:2′,3′-f]quinoxaline and dppz = dipyrido[3,2- a :2′,3′- c ]phenazine have been synthesized and thoroughly characterized using various analytical and spectral techniques. Saccharin known to act as carbonic anhydrase IX (CA IX) inhibitor which is a biomarker for highly aggressive and proliferative tumor in hypoxic stress, so inhibition of CA IX is a potential strategy for anticancer chemotherapy. The solid state structures, photophysical properties, photostability, DNA and protein binding affinity, and DNA photocleavage activity were explored. The structural analysis revealed Ru(II) centre is in discrete mononuclear, distorted octahedral {RuN 6 } coordination geometry with two monoanionic nitrogen donor saccharinate ligands and two neutral bidentate nitrogen donors ligands dpq and dppz. cis -[Ru(sac) 2 (dppz) 2 ] ( cis - 2 ) geometrical isomer was also isolated and structurally characterized by X-ray crystallography. The photo-induced dissociation of monodentate saccharin ligand is observed when irradiated at UV-A light of 365 nm. The complexes show significant binding affinity to the calf thymus DNA ( K b  ∼ 10 5  M −1 ) through significant intercalation through planar dpq and dppz ligands. Interaction of complexes 1 and 2 with bovine serum albumin (BSA) showed remarkable tryptophan emission quenching ( K BSA ∼10 5  M −1 ). The complexes showed appreciable photoinduced DNA cleavage activity upon irradiation of low power UV-A light of 365 nm from supercoiled (SC) to its nicked circular (NC) form at micromolar complex concentrations. Photocleavage mechanistic studies in presence of O 2 reveals involvement of reactive oxygen species (ROS) mediated through ligand-centered 3 ππ* and/or 3 MLCT excited states generated upon photoactivation leads to nicking of supercoiled DNA to nicked circular form. In absence of O 2 , we also observed photocleavage of DNA through formation of photoinduced ligand dissociated Ru-DNA complex involving PACT pathway.