Interaction of native calf thymus DNA (ctDNA) with phenacylimidazo[5,1- a]isoquinoline derivatives was studied by the methods of spectrophotometry, viscometry, isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) and dynamic birefringence. It was found that both of investigated compounds form complexes with the DNA molecule, the structure of compounds affects the mode of binding these ligands to DNA. The primary binding mode can not be described by the classical models of groove binding or intercalation. It has been suggested that the primary mode of binding is partial intercalation.