Anaerobic photocleavage of supercoiled DNA by a ruthenium(II) substituted fluorinated porphyrin

Two ruthenium substituted porphyrins differing only by the substitution of a mesopentafluorophenyl group show drastically different DNA photocleavage results. The incorporation of the pentafluorophenyl group provides greater photodynamic efficiency and in addition is capable of causing DNA cleavage in the absence of oxygen.