DNA three-way junctionruthenium complex assembliesElectronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Tm, CD, luminescence emission spectra and PAGE. See DOI: 10.1039/c3nj00288h

Three-way junction building blocks were designed to construct novel 2D rutheniumDNA assemblies. Discrete three-branched DNA motifs were formed with 1 to 3 sticky ends of 14-, 20- and/or 24-mer nucleotides. Hybridization with the complementary mono RuDNA conjugates afforded the formation of a family of three-way assemblies with 1 to 3 peripheral ruthenium complexes. The use of sticky ends of different lengths allowed us to modulate the number of metallic complexes introduced and also to extend the structure. Indeed, our construction strategy associated with the use of bis rutheniumDNA conjugates permitted the assembly of double three-way junctions linked by DNA duplexes with or without ruthenium complexes in their centre. 2D DNAruthenium assemblies are described. They are made of three-way junction building blocks and ruthenium complexes on the periphery and centre of the structures.