Binuclear ruthenium complexes containing mPTA and alkyl-bis(8-thiotheophylline) derivatives (mPTA = N-methyl-1,3,5-triaza-7-phosphaadamantane).

The water-soluble complex [RuClCp(PPh3)(mPTA)](CF3SO3) reacts with the thiopurines, bis(S-8-thiotheophylline)methane (MBTTH2), 1,2-bis(S-8-thiotheophylline)ethane (EBTTH2), and 1,3-bis(S-8-thiotheophylline)propane (PBTTH2), to lead to the binuclear ruthenium(II) complexes [{RuCp(PPh3)(mPTA)}2-?-(L-?S7,S?7)](CF3SO3)2where (L = MBTT2?(1), EBTT2?(2), and PBTT2?(3)). All the complexes have been fully characterized by elemental analysis, IR, and multinuclear1H,13C{1H}, and31P{1H} NMR spectroscopy. The cyclic voltammetry of the complexes is characterized by two one-electron oxidative responses (RuII–RuII/RuIII–RuII; RuIII–RuII/RuIII–RuIII) that increase their redox potential when the bis(8-thiotheophylline)-alkyl-bridge growths. The reactivity against DNA and partition coefficient of the complexes were also determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]