biostudies-literatureSun WChinese Academy of SciencesNational Key R&D Program of ChinaNational Natural Science Foundation of China25364-25369https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC9055273biostudies-literatureUnknown10(42)Fluorination in enhancing photoactivated antibacterial activity of Ru(ii) complexes with photo-labile ligands was studied. Ru(ii) polypyridine complexes containing a di-fluorinated dppz (dipyrido[3,2-<i>a</i>:2',3'-<i>c</i>]phenazine) or mono-trifluoromethylated dppz bidentate ligand and four pyridine monodentate ligands (complexes 3 and 4) were found to show potent photoactivated antibacterial activity against methicillin-resistant <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> (MRSA), vancomycin-resistant <i>Enterococcus</i> (VRE), and <i>Escherichia coli</i> (<i>E. coli</i>) in both normoxic and hypoxic conditions. The bactericidal effect of complexes 3 and 4 under hypoxic conditions may stem from the fluorine-containing Ru(ii) aqua species after photo-induced pyridine dissociation, and DNA may be the poRSC advancesFluorination in enhancing photoactivated antibacterial activity of Ru(ii) complexes with photo-labile ligands.PMC9055273XDB170000002018YFC160220421390400, 21571181, and 21773277Boerhan RZhou QFeng YLu JSun WWang XTian NfalseFluorination in enhancing photoactivated antibacterial activity of Ru(ii) complexes with photo-labile ligands.Fluorination in enhancing photoactivated antibacterial activity of Ru(ii) complexes with photo-labile ligands was studied. Ru(ii) polypyridine complexes containing a di-fluorinated dppz (dipyrido[3,2-<i>a</i>:2',3'-<i>c</i>]phenazine) or mono-trifluoromethylated dppz bidentate ligand and four pyridine monodentate ligands (complexes 3 and 4) were found to show potent photoactivated antibacterial activity against methicillin-resistant <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> (MRSA), vancomycin-resistant <i>Enterococcus</i> (VRE), and <i>Escherichia coli</i> (<i>E. coli</i>) in both normoxic and hypoxic conditions. The bactericidal effect of complexes 3 and 4 under hypoxic conditions may stem from the fluorine-containing Ru(ii) aqua species after photo-induced pyridine dissociation, and DNA may be the po2020-01-01T00:00:00Z2020 Jun2025-04-18T14:14:52.87Z2025-04-07T00:19:11.429ZS-EPMC90552733551748210.1039/d0ra01806f