| Summary: | Chapter 1 introduces the field of supramolecular chemistry and reviews examples of supramolecular architectures. Applications of these assemblies are outlined with a focus on DNA recognition. In chapter 2 the synthesis and characterisation of an array of palladium(II) and platinum(II) tetra-stranded, dinuclear complexes is described. The synthesis of two palladium(II) triangles and a palladium(II) pyramid are also presented. Chapter 3 investigates the biological activities of four of the tetra-stranded palladium(II) complexes described in chapter 2. The results show that while all of them bind to DNA, only two show good cytotoxic activities in an MTT assay. Toxicological studies were conducted on the two active cylinders and excitingly, the preliminary results indicate that they are not genotoxic or mutagenic. In chapter 4 the interaction of two novel single-stranded palladium(II) and platinum(II) complexes with B-DNA is probed by circular and linear dichroism and gel electrophoresis. The study confirms that the complexes bind to DNA, causing it to kink and bend. Chapter 5 presents the synthesis and crystallographic characterisation of four new silver(I) supramolecular polymers. In chapter 6 a new pyridylazo ligand system is described and the coordination chemistry of this ligand with silver(I), copper(I) and palladium(II) investigated.
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