Synthesis of unsymmetric cyanine dye via merocyanine and their interaction with DNA

Abstract

An effective method has been developed for synthesis of neutral merocyanine dye 4 from (4-nitrophenyl)malondialdehyde. Merocyanine 4 was used as a basic building block for preparation of unsymmetric cyanine dyes 9 and 10, both derived from the same aromatic malondialdehyde.

With the cyanine 10, pH-dependent affinity to DNA has been studied. Unsymmetric cyanine dye 10 has been compared with symmetric dye 8.

The corresponding binding constants (K) have been calculated for various pH.

Keywords

• Malondialdehyde
• Merocyanine
• Symmetric
• Unsymmetric
• Cyanine
• DNA
• double-stranded dna