Photoinduced DNA cleavage by cyclopentadienyl metal complexes conjugated to DNA recognition elements

[GRAPHICS] DNA recognition elements have been attached to CPW(CO)(3)CH3 and CpW(CO)(3)Ph, which produce methyl and phenyl radicals that cleave DNA upon photolysis. The inclusion of binding moieties in 3 increases the efficiency but not the selectivity of strand scission over that seen in the simple unfunctionalized complex, while 11 cleaves preferentially at T sites within AT-rich tracts.