The electrochemical behavior of 1-ferrocenyl-3-phenyl-2-propen-1-one (ferrocenylone) and its interaction with DNA was studied by a glassy carbon electrode using cyclic voltammetry (CV) technique. The results from CV were supported by UV-Visible spectroscopy performed under the similar conditions. The positive peak potential shift in CV and the bathochromic shift in the UV-Vis absorption spectra suggested an intercalative mode of binding. The binding constant (K = 1.39 ± 0.02 × 10(4) mol-1 L) and the binding site size (0.53 bp) were obtained from voltammetric data which leads to a standard Gibbs free energy change (ΔGº= -RT lnK) of -23.64 kJ mol-1 and hence indicated the spontaneity of the binding interaction. The values of binding constants obtained from UV-Vis absorption and CV measurements, 1.26 ± 0.01 × 10(4) and 1.39 ± 0.02 × 10(4) mol-1 L respectively, were in close agreement.
cyclic voltammetry; UV-Vis; DNA; chalcone; binding constant