Spectroscopic study of associated systems formed between water-soluble cationic porphyrins or their copper (II) complexes and nucleic building blocks

Abstract

Abstract The association process between two water soluble cationic porphyrins, 5,10,15,20-tetrakis[4-(trimethyl-ammonio)phenyl]-21H,23H-porphine tetra-p-tosylate (H2TTMePP) and 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(1-methyl-4-pyridyl)-21H,23H-porphine tetra-p-tosylate (H2TMePyP), as well as their Cu (II) complexes, with five series of nucleic agents has been studied using UV-VIS spectroscopy in aqueous solutions. During the titration with nucleic compounds the bathochromic effect of porphyrins absorption spectra can be observed as well as the hypochromicity of the Soret maximum. The association constants were calculated using a curve-fitting procedure (KAC of the order of magnitude of 103–105 mol−1). It has been shown that the interactions of H2TTMePP with nucleic agents are much stronger than interactions of H2TMePyP, which is most likely related to the kind and the size of the porphyrin substituent groups partaking in the process of stacking. The strength of the observed associated systems increases generally in a series: nucleic base