The absorption spectrum of two ruthenium (II) organometallic complexes intercalated into DNA is studied at the quantum mechanic/molecular mechanic level. The macromolecular environment is taken into account as to include geometric, electrostatic and polarization effects that can alter the excitation energy and oscillator strength. The inclusion of DNA base pairs into the quantum mechanic partition allows us for the first time to clearly evidence the presence of charge transfer excited states involving an electron withdraw from DNA base pairs to the organometallic complex. (C) 2013 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.