The triplet metal to ligand charge transfer (3MLCT) luminescence of ruthenium (II) polypyridyl complexes offers attractive imaging properties, specifically towards the development of sensitive and structure-specific DNA probes. However, rapidly-deactivating dark state formation may compete with 3MLCT luminescence depending on different DNA structures. In this work, by combining femtosecond and nanosecond pump-probe spectroscopy, the 3MLCT relaxation dynamics of [Ru(phen)2(dppz)]2+ (phen = 1,10-phenanthroline, dppz = dipyridophenazine) in two iconic G-quadruplexes has been scrutinized. The binding modes of stacking of dppz ligand on the terminal G-quartet fully and partially are clearly identified based on the biexponential decay dynamics of the 3MLCT luminescence at 620 nm. Interestingly, the inhibited dark state channel in ds-DNA is open in G-quadruplex, featuring an ultrafast picosecond depopulation process from 3MLCT to a dark state. The dark state formation rates are found to be sensitive to the content of water molecules in local G-quadruplex structures, indicating different patterns of bound water. The unique excited state dynamics of [Ru(phen)2(dppz)]2+ in G-quadruplex is deciphered, providing mechanistic basis for the rational design of photoactive ruthenium metal complexes in biological applications.
© 2021. The Author(s).