Alkyl-linked diquinolines are monofunctional AT-selective DNA-intercalating agents.

The binding of a homologous series of alkyl-linked 4-aminodiquinolines to circular and linear DNAs was studied using viscometric titrations and equilibrium dialysis. The compounds are monofunctional intercalators with the capacity for intercalative binding reaching a peak for the heptane homologue. They show marked AT-base pair selectivity, which suggests that the non-intercalated quinoline ring may lie in the DNA minor groove. Affinities for calf thymus DNA increase as the alkyl chain is lengthened, falling in the range 6 to greater than 250 X 10(4) M-1 in a buffer of I 0.01. The association constant of the heptane diquinoline decreases with increasing ionic strength, 2.1 cations being released per bound dipositive ligand molecule. All the agents are growth inhibitory towards mouse leukemia cells in culture with IC50 values in the range 0.06-18 microM.