Novel bifunctional viologen-linked pyrene conjugates: Synthesis and study of their interactions with nucleosides and DNA

A new series of viologen linked pyrene conjugates with the general formula [PYL.sub.n][V.sup.2} having a different number of methylene spacer units (Ln) was synthesized and investigated with the objective of developing efficient DNA oxidizing agents. The results show that the pyrene moiety in these molecules constitutes an interesting variation and plays a major role in controlling the electron-transfer pathways, which lead to the efficient photooxidation of DNA.