Naphthalimide–thiazoles as novel photonucleases: molecular design, synthesis, and evaluation

A new family of photonucleases, naphthalimide–thiazoles was synthesized and evaluated. These compounds intercalated into DNA efficiently and damaged DNA photochemically at concentrations as low as 5 μM. Mechanistic experiment suggests that a novel naphthalimide–thiazole radical produced via an excited triple state might be involved in the DNA photodamage. Different activity may arise from the impact of substituents at 2-phenyl ring of thiazole on the electron population of excited triple state according to AM1 semi-empirical calculation.