Three Ru(II) complexes, namely [Ru(bipy) 2-PRIP] 2? (1), [Ru(dmb) 2 PRIP] 2? (2), and [Ru(phen) 2 PRIP] 2?(3) (dmb = 4,4 0 -dimethyl-2,2 0 -bipyridine; PRIP = 2-(pyrrole) imidazo [4,5-f]-1,10-phenanthroline) have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, mass spectra, IR, 1 H NMR and 13 C NMR. The DNA-binding properties of the three complexes with calf-thymus DNA (CT-DNA) were investigated by spectrophotometry, fluorescence methods and viscosity measurements. The results suggest that all three complexes bind to CT-DNA through intercalation. Also, when irradiated at 365 nm, the three complexes promote the photocleavage of plasmid pBR-322 DNA. Under comparable experimental conditions, complex 3 cleaves DNA more effectively than complexes 1 and 2.