Design, synthesis and DNA-cleavage of Gly-Gly-His-naphthalene diimide conjugates

Naphthalene diimides with one and two metal-chelating Gly-Gly-His (GGH) motifs have been synthesized. Both conjugates induce single-stranded cleavage of plasmid pBR322 DNA in the presence of nickel and Oxone and are approximately 100-fold more efficient than Ni(II)•GGH-CONH2 itself.