Turning on the red phosphorescence of a [Ru(tpy)(bpy)(Cl)]Cl complex by amide substitution: self-aggregation, toxicity, and cellular localization of an emissive ruthenium-based amphiphile

B Siewert; M Langerman; Y Hontani; J T M Kennis; V H S van Rixel; B Limburg; M A Siegler; V Talens Saez; R E Kieltyka; S Bonnet

doi:10.1039/c7cc02989f

Turning on the red phosphorescence of a [Ru(tpy)(bpy)(Cl)]Cl complex by amide substitution: self-aggregation, toxicity, and cellular localization of an emissive ruthenium-based amphiphile

Chem Commun (Camb). 2017 Oct 10;53(81):11126-11129. doi: 10.1039/c7cc02989f.

Authors

B Siewert¹, M Langerman, Y Hontani, J T M Kennis, V H S van Rixel, B Limburg, M A Siegler, V Talens Saez, R E Kieltyka, S Bonnet

Affiliation

¹ Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Einsteinweg 55, 233CC Leiden, The Netherlands. bonnet@chem.leidenuniv.nl.

PMID: 28682371
DOI: 10.1039/c7cc02989f

Abstract

Coupling the notoriously non-emissive complex [Ru(tpy)(bpy)Cl]Cl (tpy = 2,2':6',2''-terpyridine, bpy = 2,2'-bipyridine) to a C₁₂ alkyl chain via an amide linker on the 4' position of the terpyridine yielded a new amphiphilic ruthenium complex showing red emission and chloride-dependent aggregation properties. This emissive complex is highly cytotoxic in A549 non-small lung cancer cells where it can be followed by confocal microscopy. Uptake occurs within minutes, first by insertion into the cellular membrane, and then by migration to the peri-nuclear region.