G-Quadruplex Supramolecular Assemblies in Photochemical Upconversion

Parallel, tetramolecular G-quadruplex (G4) DNA possessing TINA monomer, (R)-1-O-[4-(1-pyrenylethynyl)phenylmethyl]glycerol, were synthesised and evaluated in complexes with tris(2,2'-bipyridine)ruthenium(II), [Ru(bpy)3 ](2+) , and the Zn(2+) derivative of 5,10,15,20-tetrakis-(1-methyl-4-pyridyl)-21 H,23H-porphine, ZnTMpyP4. UV/Vis, fluorescence, and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy showed that the use of G4-DNA as a template resulted in the effective communication between the ligands and the TINA molecule that was covalently attached to the 5'-end and between T and dG at the 5'-end of the dTG4 T sequence. Only one G4-DNA possessing the TINA molecule at the 5'-end of the dTG4 T sequence was able to yield a green-to-blue photochemical upconversion (PUC, λem =420 nm) in the presence of [Ru(bpy)3 ](2+) upon excitation at 500 nm. Different DNA secondary structures can thus be used in DNA-based assemblies for PUC and the way of attachment of chromophores to DNA plays a pivotal role for the creation of a photosynthetic centre.