A new N,N-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)methylamine iron(III) complex: synthesis, structure, DNA binding, and nuclease activity

Abstract

A new iron(III) complex, [Fe(bpma)Cl₃] (1) (bpma = N,N-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)methylamine), has been synthesized and determined by X-ray diffraction. Complex 1 crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group P_nma , with FeN₃Cl₃ core, average d(Fe–N) of 2.212 Å, and average d(Fe–Cl) of 2.293 Å. Elemental analysis and infrared spectra of the complex were also determined. Complex 1 is soluble in water and organic solvents, facilitating investigation of its behavior in solution. Interaction with calf thymus-DNA (ct-DNA) for 1 investigated by UV absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy shows 1 binds to ct-DNA with moderate intercalation. The interaction between 1 and pBR322 DNA has also been investigated by submarine gel electrophoresis; the complex exhibits effective DNA cleavage activity in the absence of activating agents under similar physiological conditions.

Keywords:

• Iron(III)
• Crystal structure
• DNA binding
• DNA cleavage

Acknowledgments

Financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 21001066), the PhD Science Foundation of Tianjin Normal University (Grant No. 52LX28), and the Education Science Foundation of Tianjin City (Grant No. 20070606) is gratefully acknowledged.