N-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)naphtho[2,1-b]thiophene-4-carboxamide and the 6-substituted methoxy, methyl, fluoro, chloro, bromo, trifluoromethyl, and cyano derivatives have been shown to bind to DNA via intercalation with binding constants in the 35-900 X 10(3) range at 25 degrees C, pH 7, and [Na+] = 0.019M. Both electron-donating and -withdrawing substituents enhance intercalation binding, but the binding affinity is most enhanced by the cyano substituent. Calorimetric titrations for calf thymus DNA differ dramatically from those reported for ethidium [Hopkins et al. (1990) Biopolymers Vol. 29, pp. 449-459]. Apparent enthalpy parameters (delta HB) for intercalation are constant only at low coverage of sites and become much more positive as saturation is approached. In the plateau region, delta HB values for the parent and the cyano-, fluoro-, chloro-, and bromo-substituted compounds are nearly the same (approximately -5.9 kcal/mol). For the methyl- (-6.8 kcal/mol) and methoxy- (-7.5 kcal/mol) substituted compounds, the delta HB values are more exothermic than that for the unsubstituted compound, whereas delta HB for the trifluoromethyl compound is approximately 1 kcal/mol less exothermic. The corresponding delta SB values, corrected for mixing effects, are in the 7-15-cal/deg/mol range and are approximately linearly related to delta HB if the cyano derivative is excluded.