DNA interactions with ruthenium(ll) polypyridine complexes containing asymmetric ligands.

In an attempt to probe nucleic acid structures, numerous Ru(II) complexes with different ligands have been synthesized and investigated. In this contribution we focus on the DNA-binding properties of ruthenium(II) complexes containing asymmetric ligands that have attracted little attention in the past decades. The influences of the shape and size of the ligand on the binding modes, affinity, enantioselectivities and photocleavage of the complexes to DNA are described.