Pyrene‐fused Acenes and Azaacenes: Synthesis and Applications

In this account, the synthesis and applications of pyrene‐fused acenes, as well as pyrene‐fused azaacenes, have been carefully reviewed. Moreover, the synthetic methods involving two key synthons (different lengths of dienes and ynes) have been included. Furthermore, the “clean reaction” strategy has been introduced for the preparation of pyrene‐fused acenes with a single terminal‐pyrene unit from tetracene to octacene, as well as for the synthesis of pyrene‐fused octatwistacenes and nonatwistacenes with double terminal‐pyrene units. Similarly, the synthons and the synthetic methods for pyrene‐fused azaacenes have also been summarized. The applications of pyrene‐fused acenes and pyrene‐fused azaacenes have been included.     

Further Insight into the Photostability of the Pyrene Fluorophore in Halogenated Solvents

Pyrene fluorophores of pyrene‐functionalized CdSe quantum dots (QD@Py), as well as alkylpyrene and pyrene itself (Py), undergo fast degradation in aerated chloroform under ultraviolet‐A (UV‐A, 316<λ<400 nm) illumination. Steady‐state fluorescence studies of irradiated chloroform solutions of QD@Py show formation of new bands, red‐shifted compared to that of the pyrene moiety. Similar behaviour is observed for pyrene and the alkylpyrene system. Column chromatography of the pyrene photolysate in chloroform allowed us to isolate photoproducts arising from pyrene degradation, and to obtain information on the structure of the photoproducts responsible for the emission bands. The most predominant photoproducts were those originating from the reaction of pyrene with dichloromethyl radicals. The phototransformation of QD@Py and the alkylpyrene involves mainly detachment of the alkyl chain from the aromatic ring, induced also by dichloromethyl radicals, and oxidation of the alkyl chain at the benzylic position was detected as well. By contrast, these pyrene systems show a high photostability in aerated dichloromethane. Transient absorption measurements showed formation of both pyrene triplet and pyrene radical cation for all pyrene systems in these halogenated solvents. The yield of pyrene radical cations for Py is higher than for QD@Py and the alkylpyrene. In addition, pyrene radical cations were longer‐lived in dichloromethane than in chloroform. The reason for the pyrene photostability in dichloromethane is the different reactivity of chloromethyl and dichloromethyl radicals towards pyrene and oxygen. These studies show that the use of dichloromethane can be a suitable alternative to chloroform when the good solubility properties of these halogenated solvents are needed to dissolve pyrene when this chromophore is used as a fluorescent probe.     

Pyrene solubilization capacity in octaethylene glycol monododecyl ether (C12E8) micelles

We used fluorescence quenching, vibronic band ratios and excimer fluorescence techniques to quantify the statistics of pyrene solubilization in nonionic octaethylene glycol monododecyl ether (C₁₂E₈) micelles. Using a two-phase model (aqueous and micellar pseudophases) to interpret fluorescence results, we found that all three of these experimental methods provide consistent information about pyrene partitioning between aqueous and micellar pseudophases. From dynamic quenching experiments we determined the pyrene partition coefficient and the average number of pyrene molecules solubilized per micelle over a range of surfactant concentrations. The pyrene partition coefficient increases with increasing surfactant concentration. We confirmed the partitioning results by excimer fluorescence measurements. Quenching results indicate that pyrene is accessible to Cu²⁺ quenchers even in the limit of high surfactant concentration where solubilized pyrene is in the infinite dilution limit in the micellar pseudophase. This suggests that solubilized pyrene resides in the micellar palisade layer. We determined the maximum number of pyrene solubilizates allowed per micelle (micellar solubilization capacity) by applying a three-phase model to fluorescence experiments conducted in the presence of solid phase pyrene. The estimated maximum capacity is 6 pyrene molecules per micelle. The three phase partitioning model successfully predicted the excimer fluorescence in the presence of solid pyrene.     

Competition between Arene–Perfluoroarene and Charge‐Transfer Interactions in Organic Light‐Harvesting Systems

Two typical types of luminescent organic cocrystals comprising pyrene–octafluoronaphthalene (pyrene–OFN) and pyrene–1,2,4,5‐tetracyanobezene (pyrene–TCNB) were developed by a simple supramolecular assembly strategy. The cocrystals exhibit distinct optical properties because of their different intermolecular interaction modes; that is, arene–perfluoroarene (AP) and charge‐transfer (CT) interactions. Unexpectedly, a pyrene–TCNB system with strong CT interactions was incorporated into a pyrene–OFN host as a robust guest to generate white‐light emission (WLE). In the supramolecular cocrystal system, an efficient energy‐transfer process from pyrene–OFN to pyrene–TCNB occurred because of the well‐matched spectra of the constituents and a desirable energy donor/acceptor (D/A) distance. The present competitive intermolecular interaction strategy could be applied to the fabrication of more complicated organic light‐harvesting systems.     

Growth and characterization of pyrene crystals on carbon nanofibers

Pyrene crystals were grown on carbon nanofibers (CNFs) by dispersing pyrene polycrystals and CNFs in water during ultrasonic irradiation, and they were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and spectroscopy. The XRD measurements indicated that the orientation and size of the pyrene crystals on the CNF aggregates were different from that of the added pyrene polycrystals. Based on the spectroscopic properties of the pyrene crystals on the CNFs, the pyrene crystals on the CNF aggregates and on the individual CNFs were determined to be polycrystals and single crystals, respectively. These results indicate that pyrene crystals are produced on the CNFs by recrystallization of the added pyrene polycrystals and their crystal states depend on the aggregation state of the CNFs.     

Utilization of heavy-atom effect quenching of pyrene fluorescence to determine the intramembrane distribution of halothane

The interaction of halothane (CF₃CHBrCl) with dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) membranes containing varying amounts of dipalmitoylphosphatidylglycerol (DPPG) was examined via heavy atom effect quenching of pyrene fluorescence by halothane. The effect of halothane on pyrene fluorescence is consistent with a kinetic model based upon the assumption of the existence of two populations of pyrene in the membrane: one accessible to interactions with halothane; the second inaccessible to halothane on the time scale of the pyrene fluorescence excited state. Both populations of pyrene are affected by the presence of halothane in the membrane. The rate of halothane quenching of pyrene fluorescence is increased significantly for all DPPG/DPPC membranes compared to pure DPPC membranes indicating that any DPPG in the membrane facilitates interaction between halothane and pyrene even though the measured partition coefficients indicate that little change in total halothane concentration in the membrane as a whole occurs as a function of percent DPPG in DPPG/DPPC mixtures.
It is speculated that phase boundaries play an important role in determining the behavior of this model system by determining the location of the pyrene probe. The heavy atom effect quenching of pyrene by halothane provides a useful probe of phase boundaries in membranes.     

Pyrene.pyrene complexes at the active site of cytochrome P450 3A4: evidence for a multiple substrate binding site

Cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (CYPs) metabolize nearly all drugs and toxins. Recently, it has become clear that CYPs exhibit both homotropic and heterotropic allosteric kinetics for many substrates. However, the mechanism of cooperative kinetics has not been established for any specific human CYP/substrate combination. Suggested mechanisms include binding of multiple substrates within distinct, static, subsites of a single large active site or binding of multiple substrates within a single fluid active site. CYP3A4 hydroxylates pyrene with positive cooperativity. Therefore, experiments were designed to exploit the fluorescence properties of pyrene, which diagnostically distinguish between pyrene.pyrene complexes versus spatially separated pyrene substrates. Pyrene complexes (excimers) yield an emission spectrum clearly distinct from pyrene monomers. In lipid-free aqueous/glycerol solutions of CYP3A4, addition of pyrene affords a concentration-dependent low-spin to high-spin conversion of the CYP3A4 heme prosthetic group, indicating occupancy of the active site by pyrene. Under the same conditions, in the presence of CYP3A4 but not other heme proteins, the excimer/monomer ratio (E/M) of pyrene was decreased in emission spectra, compared to pyrene alone. However, excitation spectra indicate a CYP3A4-dependent increase in the wavelength shift for the excimer excitation spectrum versus the monomer excitation spectrum, as well as changes in the excimer excitation peak shape and vibronic structure. These changes are reversed by the CYP3A4 substrate testosterone. Together, the results demonstrate that pyrene.pyrene ground-state complexes occupy the CYP3A4 active site, and they provide the first spectroscopic evidence for substrate complexes within a single fluid active site. Functional implications include the possibility that turnover rate, regioselectivity, and stereoselectivity of the reaction are determined by the substrate.substrate complex rather than individual substrates.     

Morphology-controllable synthesis of pyrene nanostructures and its morphology dependence of optical properties

Morphology-controllable synthesis of various pyrene nanostructures from nanoparticles to short nanorods and nanowires (long nanorods) was achieved by a simple self-assembly method. In this approach, aqueous sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) micelles were used as templates to direct the self-assembly of the pyrene molecules into nanorods. It was found that changing the concentration ratio of the pyrene to SDS molecules could be employed to control the aspect ratio (length to diameter) of the pyrene nanostructures from 1 to 50 or higher. Moreover, the dimensional variation was accompanied by changes of their optical properties. With the increase of the aspect ratio, the characteristic fluorescence of the isolated pyrene molecules was suppressed and concurrently replaced by the excimer emission of the pyrene nanostructures. A blue-shift was observed in the excimer emission peaks as the length of the nanorods increased. The growth mechanism and the change in optical properties of these pyrene nanostructures were discussed in detail.     

Experimental and Theoretical Approaches to the Influence of the Addition of Pyrene to a Series of Pd and Ni NHC‐Based Complexes: Catalytic Consequences

A series of Ni and Pd complexes with three different N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC)‐based ligands (imidazolylidene, benzimidazolylidene and pyrene–imidazolylidene) has been prepared and fully characterized. The influence of the addition of pyrene to solutions containing these complexes is studied by means of NMR and UV/Vis spectroscopies and by cyclic voltammetry. The addition of pyrene to the pyrene–NHC‐containing Pd and Ni complexes gives rise to the formation of adducts by π–π stacking interactions between pyrene and the pyrene group of the NHC ligand. This interaction causes a modification of the electronic properties of the metal, as demonstrated by cyclic voltammetric studies of the Ni–NHC complexes. Theoretical calculations support this type of π‐interactions, and justify the higher interactions observed with the pyrene–NHC containing complexes. The catalytic activities of the complexes were tested in the Suzuki–Miyaura C?C coupling and in the α‐arylation of ketones. The addition of pyrene as an external π‐stacking additive does not affect the activities of the complexes in the Suzuki–Miyaura coupling, but this observation may be justified due to the fact that the process is heterogeneously catalyzed, as indicated by the mercury‐drop test. The addition of pyrene to the catalytic α‐arylation of ketones results in a decrease in the activity of the reactions catalyzed by the pyrene–imidazolylidene palladium complex, whereas the other two catalysts do not modify their activity in the presence of this π‐stacking additive.     

Comparison of the association level of a pyrene-labeled associative polymer obtained from an analysis based on two different models

A hydrophobically modified alkali swellable emulsion copolymer (HASE) was labeled with pyrene and its fluorescence behavior was monitored by steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence as increasing amounts of the surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) were added to the solution. In aqueous solution, the pyrene pendants are aggregated. As SDS is added, the surfactant binds to the pyrene aggregates, which leads to their breakup at an onset SDS concentration of 1.25 x 10(-3) mol/L. The breakup of the pyrene aggregates is complete at 4.25 x 10(-3) mol/L, which is slightly larger than the critical micellar concentration of SDS in 0.01 M Na(2)CO(3) aqueous solution at pH 9 found to equal 3.5 x 10(-3) mol/L by surface tension measurements. The pyrene pendants were present as different species in solution, and the fractions representative of all emissive pyrene species were determined from the global analysis of the monomer and excimer fluorescence decays. Two analyses were applied to the decays. In the first analysis, the diffusional encounters between pyrene pendants were described by the blob model. In the second analysis, no assumptions were made on how the pyrene pendants encountered each other. Both analyses yielded identical results which demonstrate that the determination of the fractions of the different emissive pyrene species of a solution of a pyrene-labeled associative polymer does not depend on the model chosen to account for the diffusional encounters taking place between pyrene pendants.     

Functionalization of Pyrene To Prepare Luminescent Materials—Typical Examples of Synthetic Methodology

Pyrene‐based π‐conjugated materials are considered to be an ideal organic electro‐luminescence material for application in semiconductor devices, such as organic light‐emitting diodes (OLEDs), organic field‐effect transistors (OFETs) and organic photovoltaics (OPVs), and so forth. However, the great drawback of employing pyrene as an organic luminescence material is the formation of excimer emission, which quenches the efficiency at high concentration or in the solid‐state. Thus, in order to obtain highly efficient optical devices, scientists have devoted much effort to tuning the structure of pyrene derivatives in order to realize exploitable properties by employing two strategies, 1) introducing a variety of moieties at the pyrene core, and 2) exploring effective and convenient synthetic strategies to functionalize the pyrene core. Over the past decades, our group has mainly focused on synthetic methodologies for functionalization of the pyrene core; we have found that formylation/acetylation or bromination of pyrene can selectly lead to functionalization at K‐region by Lewis acid catalysis. Herein, this Minireview highlights the direct synthetic approaches (such as formylation, bromination, oxidation, and de‐tert‐butylation reactions, etc.) to functionalize the pyrene in order to advance research on luminescent materials for organic electronic applications. Further, this article demonstrates that the future direction of pyrene chemistry is asymmetric functionalization of pyrene for organic semiconductor applications and highlights some of the classical asymmetric pyrenes, as well as the latest breakthroughs. In addition, the photophysical properties of pyrene‐based molecules are briefly reviewed. To give a current overview of the development of pyrene chemistry, the review selectively covers some of the latest reports and concepts from the period covering late 2011 to the present day.     

Probing interfacial organization in surface monolayers using tethered pyrene. 1. Structural mediation of electron and proton access to adsorbates

We have synthesized and characterized a family of self-assembled monolayers containing pyrene derivatives on gold and indium-doped tin oxide (ITO) substrates. The covalently bound pyrene functionalities serve as either spectroscopic or electrochemical probes of their immediate environment, and we explore their electrochemical response in this paper. When these compounds are the only constituents bound to the interfaces, the molecules enjoy significant structural freedom. The addition of aliphatic adsorbates to the interfaces serves to place the pyrene derivatives in a more restricted environment. Cyclic voltammetry shows that the organization of a monolayer with pyrene derivatives, and the position of the terminal pyrene within such monolayer, depend sensitively on the length of the pyrene tether and the presence or absence of aliphatic interfacial species, as well as the identity of the substrate.     

Molecular dynamics simulation of pyrene solubilized in a sodium dodecyl sulfate micelle

In the present work, the structural and dynamical aspects of the solubilization process of pyrene within a sodium dodecyl sulfate micelle were studied using molecular dynamics simulations. Our results showed that free pyrene as the fluorescence probe can be spontaneously solubilized into the micelle and prefers to be located in the hydrophobic core region. As the local concentration of pyrene increased, two molecular probes could enter into the core hydrophobic region and the excited dimer of pyrene molecules was formed, showing a stacking mode of π-π conjugation. Since the π-π stacking interaction between the two pyrene molecules was very weak, formation of the excimer was a dynamic process with the two pyrene molecules alternately separating and associating with each other. In this case, the two pyrene molecules were found to be mainly distributed in the palisade layer of the micelle due to the balance between the weak π-π stacking interaction and the hydrophobic interaction of probe molecules with the surfactant tails.     

Interactions in single wall carbon nanotubes/pyrene/porphyrin nanohybrids

This work provides an in-depth look at a range of physicochemical aspects of (i) single wall carbon nanotubes (SWNT), (ii) pyrene derivatives (pyrene(+)), (iii) porphyrin derivatives (ZnP(8)()(-)() and H(2)()P(8)()(-)()), (iv) poly(sodium 4-styrenesulfonate), and (v) their combinations. Implicit in their supramolecular combinations is the hierarchical integration of SWNT (as electron acceptors), together with ZnP(8)()(-)() or H(2)()P(8)()(-)() (as electron donors), in an aqueous environment mediated through pyrene(+). This supramolecular approach yields novel electron donor-acceptor nanohybrids (SWNT/pyrene(+)/ZnP(8)()(-)() or SWNT/pyrene(+)/H(2)()P(8)()(-)()). In particular, we report on electrochemical and photophysical investigations that as a whole suggest sizeable and appreciable interactions between the individual components. The key step to form SWNT/pyrene(+)()/ZnP(8)()(-)() or SWNT/pyrene(+)()/H(2)()P(8)()(-)() hybrids is pi-pi interactions between SWNT and pyrene(+), for which we have developed for the first time a sensitive marker. The marker is the monomeric pyrene fluorescence, which although quenched is (i) only present in SWNT/pyrene(+) and (ii) completely lacking in just pyrene(+). Electrostatic interactions help to immobilize ZnP(8)()(-)() or H(2)()P(8)()(-)() onto SWNT/pyrene(+) to yield the final electron donor-acceptor nanohybrids. A series of photochemical experiments confirm that long-lived radical ion pairs are formed as a product of a rapid excited-state deactivation of ZnP(8)()(-)() or H(2)()P(8)()(-)(). This formation is fully rationalized on the basis of the properties of the individual moieties. Additional modeling shows that the data are likely to be relevant to the SWNTs present in the sample, which possess wider diameters.     

Impact of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons on the Electrochemical Responses of a Ferricyanide Probe at Template‐Modified Self‐Assembled Monolayers on Gold Electrodes

The impact of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) on the electrochemical responses of a ferricyanide probe using gold electrodes coated with template‐containing self‐assembled monolayers (SAMs) was investigated using cyclic voltammetry and square‐wave voltammetry. The thiolated compounds that were used to form SAMs included 1‐hexadecanethiol, 11‐mercapto‐undecanoic acid, 11‐mercaptoundecanol, and (3‐mercaptopropyl) trimethoxysilane (MPTS). When the SAMs were formed from 1‐hexadecanethiol or 11‐mercapto‐undecanoic acid in the absence of pyrene, the SAM‐modified electrodes prohibited access of the ferricyanide probe and no impact of pyrene was observed. SAM‐modified electrodes (all except for MPTS) that were formed in the presence of pyrene then washed free of pyrene showed an increase in accessibility of the probe ferricyanide upon the addition of pyrene to the electrolyte solution. When electrodes were modified with MPTS to form stabilized SAMs in the presence of pyrene, however, a reduced redox current for the ferricyanide probe was observed with increased pyrene or naphthalene in the electrolyte solution. A degree of selectivity was noted in that this current response was not observed for addition of benzo[a]pyrene.     

Investigations of the effect of viscosity of resin on the diffusion of pyrene in silicone polymer coatings using steady state fluorescence technique

The diffusion phenomenon of pyrene in silicone coatings prepared from various commercial silicone resins with different viscosities was investigated using steady state excimer fluorescence technique. The amount of pyrene lost from the coatings by diffusion at different temperatures ranging from 25 to 70 °C was estimated from the excimer emission intensity. The diffusion coefficients (D) and activation energy of diffusion of pyrene in silicone coatings were determined. It was found that the kinetic parameters of pyrene were comparable in all the four silicone coatings and independent of the viscosity of the resin. The D values were lower than those expected for pyrene in PDMS resins in the corresponding viscosity range. This may be attributed to restricted mobility of pyrene due to cross-linking of polymer chains in the cured silicone coatings.     

Fluorescence Quenching by Intercalation of a Pyrene Group Tethered to an N4‐modified Cytosine in Duplex DNA

A series of duplex DNA oligomers was prepared that contain a pyrene chromophore linked by a trimethylene chain (‐(CH₂)₃‐) to N⁴ of a cytosine. The pyrene group stabilizes the DNA as evidenced by an increase in melting temperature. The absorption spectrum of the linked pyrene chromophore shows a temperature‐dependent shift and there is also a strong induced circular dichroism spectrum attributed to the pyrene group. The fluorescence of the pyrene chromophore is strongly quenched at room temperature by linkage to the DNA, but it increases above the melting temperature. We attribute these observations to intramolecular intercalation of the pyrene group at a base pair adjacent to its linkage site at cytosine.     

全氟辛酸盐胶束对芘的加溶研究

胶束微观极性与微观粘度等微环境性质的研究近来已引起人们越来越广泛的注意。已有的研究工作主要限于碳氢表面活性剂体系,全氟表面活性剂体系的研究为数甚少。通常认为全氟表面活性剂有疏油性,因而对于全氟表面活性剂胶束能否加溶碳氢有机物,加溶部位胶束微环境性质如何,各种利用有机探针分子的光物理方法能否用于全氟胶束的物理化学性质的研究等问题很少有研究工作报道。本文研究了全氟辛酸盐胶束加溶芘的特性。实验     

Analysis of co-eluted isomers of high-molecular weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in high performance liquid chromatography fractions via solid-phase nanoextraction and time-resolved Shpol'skii spectroscopy

We present an accurate method for the determination of isomers of high-molecular weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons co-eluted in HPLC fractions. The feasibility of this approach is demonstrated with two isomers of molecular weight 302 with identical mass fragmentation patterns, namely dibenzo[a,i]pyrene and naphtho[2,3-a]pyrene. Qualitative and quantitative analysis is carried out via laser-excited time-resolved Shpol'skii spectroscopy at liquid helium temperature. Unambiguous identification of co-eluted isomers is based on their characteristic 4.2 K line-narrowed spectra in n-octane as well as their fluorescence lifetimes. Pre-concentration of HPLC fractions prior to spectroscopic analysis is performed with the aid of gold nanoparticles via an environmentally friendly procedure. In addition to the two co-eluted isomers, the analytical figures of merit of the entire procedure were evaluated with dibenzo[a,l]pyrene, dibenzo[a,h]pyrene and dibenzo[a,e]pyrene. The analytical recoveries from drinking water samples varied between 98.2±5.5 (dibenzo[a,l]pyrene) and 102.7±3.2% (dibenzo[a,i]pyrene). The limits of detection ranged from 51.1 ng L(-1) (naphtho[2,3-a]pyrene) to 154 ng L(-1) (dibenzo[a,e]pyrene). The excellent analytical figures of merit associated to its HPLC compatibility makes this approach an attractive alternative for the analysis of co-eluted isomers with identical mass spectra.     

Molar absorption coefficient of pyrene aggregates in water

The molar absorption coefficient of pyrene aggregates, epsilon(E0), was determined for a series of pyrene-labeled poly(N,N-dimethylacrylamide)s (Py-PDMA) having different pyrene contents. Aqueous solutions of Py-PDMA having pyrene contents ranging from 263 to 645 mumol of pyrene per gram of polymer were studied by UV-vis absorbance and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. The global analysis of the monomer and excimer fluorescence decays with the fluorescence blob model yielded the fractions of the overall absorption contributed by all the pyrene species present in solution. The combined knowledge of the fractions obtained from the global analysis of the time-resolved fluorescence decays, the total absorption of the Py-PDMA solution obtained from UV-vis spectroscopy, and the total pyrene concentration in the solution obtained from the known pyrene content of each Py-PDMA sample led to the determination of the molar absorption coefficient of pyrene aggregates. Regardless of the pyrene content of the Py-PDMA samples and hence the level of association of the pyrene pendants in solution, all Py-PDMA samples yielded similar epsilon(E0) values over the range of wavelengths studied, namely, from 325 to 350 nm. The averaged epsilon(E0) was found to be red-shifted relative to unassociated pyrenes by 3 nm as well as having a value at the 0-0 peak of 21 000 M(-1).cm(-1) reduced from 34 700 M(-1).cm(-1) for unassociated pyrenes. The determination of epsilon(E0) enabled the first determination of the absolute fraction of associated pyrenes for aqueous solutions of a series of pyrene-labeled water-soluble polymers. The procedure outlined in this study is applicable to any pyrene-labeled water-soluble polymer and provides a new means to study quantitatively the effect of the hydrophilic-to-lipophilic balance on the hydrophobic associations generated by hydrophobically modified water-soluble polymers. As an application, the average number of pyrenes involved in a pyrene aggregate generated by Py-PDMA in water is determined.