Dual-photosensitized stable Eu and Tb complexes, namely [Eu(dpq)(tfnb) ] (1) and [Tb(dpq)(tfnb) ] (2), in which dpq=dipyrido[3,2-d:2',3'-f]quinoxaline and Htfnb=4,4,4-trifluoro-1-(2-napthyl)-1,3-butanedione, were designed as bioimaging and light-responsive therapeutic agents. Their X-ray structures, photophysical properties, biological interactions, photoinduced DNA damage, photocytotoxicity, and cellular uptake properties were studied. Discrete mononuclear complexes adopt an eight-coordinated {LnN O } distorted square antiprism geometry with bidentate N,N-donor dpq and O,O-donor tfnb ligands. The designed probes have the advantage of dual-sensitizing antennae (dpq, Htfnb) to modulate their desirable optical properties for cellular imaging and light-responsive intracellular damage. The remarkable photostability, absence of inner-sphere water (q<1), and longer excited-state lifetimes of the complexes make them suitable as cellular-imaging probes. The dpq T state is well located energetically to allow efficient energy transfer (ET) to the emissive D and D states of Eu and Tb . This leads to higher quantum yields (φ=0.15-0.20) in aqueous media and makes these compounds suitable cellular-imaging probes. The complexes display significant binding ability toward DNA and bovine serum albumin (K≈10 m ). They effectively cleave supercoiled DNA to its nicked circular form at λ=365 nm through photoredox pathways. The cellular internalization studies showed cytosolic and nuclear localization. The remarkable photocytotoxicity of these probes offers a strategy towards developing photoresponsive Ln probes as cellular-imaging and phototherapeutic agents.

The europium(III) and terbium(III) complexes, namely [Eu(dpq)(DMF)2(NO3)3] (1), [Eu(dppz)2(NO3)3] (2), [Tb(dpq)(DMF)2Cl3] (3), and [Tb(dppz)(DMF)2Cl3] (4), where dipyrido[3,2-d:2',3'-f]quinoxaline (dpq in 1 and 3), dipyrido[3,2-a:2',3'-c]phenazine (dppz in 2 and 4) and N,N'-dimethylformamide (DMF) have been isolated, characterized from their physicochemical data, luminescence studies and their interaction with DNA, serum albumin protein and photo-induced DNA cleavage activity are studied. The X-ray crystal structures of complexes 1-4 show discrete mononuclear Ln(3+)-based structures. The Eu(3+) in [Eu(dpq)(DMF)2(NO3)3] (1) and [Eu(dppz)2(NO3)3] (2) as [Eu(dppz)2(NO3)3]·dppz (2a) adopts a ten-coordinated bicapped dodecahedron structure with a bidentate N,N-donor dpq ligand, two DMF and three NO3(-) anions in 1 and two bidentate N,N-donor dppz ligands and three NO3(-) anions in 2. Complexes 3 and 4 show a seven-coordinated mono-capped octahedron structure where Tb(3+) contains bidentate dpq/dppz ligands, two DMF and three Cl(-) anions. The complexes are highly luminescent in nature indicating efficient photo-excited energy transfer from the dpq/dppz antenna to Ln(3+) to generate long-lived emissive excited states for characteristic f → f transitions. The time-resolved luminescence spectra of complexes 1-4 show typical narrow emission bands attributed to the (5)D0 → (7)F(J) and (5)D4 → (7)F(J) f-f transitions of Eu(3+) and Tb(3+) ions respectively. The number of inner-sphere water molecules (q) was determined from luminescence lifetime measurements in H2O and D2O confirming ligand-exchange reactions with water in solution. The complexes display significant binding propensity to the CT-DNA giving binding constant values in the range of 1.0 × 10(4)-6.1 × 10(4) M(-1) in the order 2, 4 (dppz) > 1, 3 (dpq). DNA binding data suggest DNA groove binding with the partial intercalation nature of the complexes. All the complexes also show binding propensity (K(BSA) ∼ 10(5) M(-1)) to the bovine serum albumin (BSA) protein. The intensity of the time-gated luminescence spectral bands enhances significantly with the increasing DNA concentration in aqueous buffer medium due to displacement of bound water upon interaction with DNA, thus reducing non-radiative quenching through the O-H oscillator. Complexes 1-4 efficiently cleave supercoiled (SC) ds-DNA to its nicked circular (NC) form on exposure to UV-A light of 365 nm via formation of singlet oxygen ((1)O2) and hydroxyl radicals (HO˙) as the reactive oxygen species at micromolar concentrations under physiological conditions.

A series of coordinatively saturated LnIII complexes: [Ln(R-TPY)(TTA)3] (1–6) were designed and structurally characterized and plausible energy transfer (ET) pathways determined using a theoretical method.