Pyrrolobenzimidazoles linked to heterocycles and peptides. Design of DNA base pair specific phosphate hydrolyzing agents and novel cytotoxic agents.

Work in this laboratory has been involved with the design of aziridinyl quinone-based cancer drugs (PBIs) capable of both recognizing the DNA major groove and cleaving the phosphate backbone upon reduction to the hydroquinone. The hydroquinone species recognizes the major groove of DNA at single base pairs by Hoogsteen-type hydrogen bonding. The present study extends recognition beyond a single base pair by adding amino acid residues to the 3-amino center of the PBI system.