Fluorometric sensing of Cu ion with smart fluorescence light-up probe, triazolylpyrene (Py)

We report the detection of Cu²⁺ ion with fluorescence light-up probe, triazolylpyrene (^TNDMBPy). Thus, the probe showed a remarkable fluorescence enhancement of both of the monomer and excimer emissions and a 2:1 probe-Cu²⁺ complexation with high selectivity, high stability constant and low detection limit. Formation of the excimer was also rationalized on the basis of DFT calculation. Our probe is also capable of sensing SDS micelle-encapsulated-Cu²⁺ ion in aqueous media with high association constant, thus, showing its practical utility. Thus, our probe could be used as an efficient Cu²⁺ ion selective fluorescence light-up probe, and may find applications in chemical and biological systems.     

Fluorescent ratioable recognition of Cu in water using a pyrene-attached macrocycle/γ-cyclodextrin complex

A pyrene-functional fluoroionophore, 1 was used to construct a supramolecular 1/γ-CD complex for Cu²⁺ recognition in water. In aqueous γ-CD solution, 1 exhibits pyrene monomer fluorescence emission at 378 nm and 397 nm, while in the presence of Cu²⁺, it shows a pyrene excimer emission at 452 nm with a decrease in the monomer fluorescence due to the formation of a 1:2 metal-liganded complex. Based on the response characteristics of the supramolecular complex, a fluorescent ratiometric method was performed for the determination of Cu²⁺ concentration in water. With the optimum conditions described, Cu²⁺ in aqueous solution can be determined from 1.2 × 10⁻⁶ to 4.5 × 10⁻⁴ M. The Cu²⁺ selectivity of the complex is excellent, and the excimer fluorescence enhancements are very smaller induced by other heavy metal and transition metal ions.     

Synthesis and evaluation of a novel pyrenyl-appended triazole-based thiacalix[4]arene as a fluorescent sensor for Ag ion

New fluorescent chemosensors 1,3-alternate-1 and 2 with pyrenyl-appended triazole-based on thiacalix[4]arene were synthesized. The fluorescence spectra changes suggested that chemosensors 1 and 2 are highly selective for Ag⁺ over other metal ions by enhancing the monomer emission of pyrene in neutral solution. However, other heavy metal ions, such as Cu²⁺, and Hg²⁺ quench both the monomer and excimer emission of pyrene acutely. The ¹H NMR results indicated that Ag⁺ can be selectively recognized by the triazole moieties on the receptors 1 and 2 together with the ionophoricity cavity formed by the two inverted benzene rings and sulfur atoms of the thiacalix[4]arene.     

5‐(Pyren‐1‐yl)uracil as a Base‐Discriminating Fluorescent Nucleobase in Pyrrolidinyl Peptide Nucleic Acids

A pyrene‐labeled uridine (U^Py) monomer for a pyrrolidinyl peptide nucleic acid with an alternating proline/2‐aminocyclopentanecarboxylic acid backbone (acpcPNA) was synthesized and incorporated into the PNA. The U^Py base in acpcPNA could specifically recognize the base A in its complementary DNA strand as determined by thermal denaturation (T_m) experiments. The fluorescence of the U^Py‐containing single‐stranded acpcPNA was very weak in aqueous buffer. In the presence of a complementary DNA target, the fluorescence was enhanced significantly (2.7–41.9 folds, depending on sequences). The fluorescence enhancement was specific to the pairing between U^Py and dA, making the U^Py‐modified acpcPNA useful as a hybridization‐responsive fluorescence probe for DNA‐sequence determination.     

Fluorescence observations on complex formation between linear and hyperbranched polyelectrolytes in dilute aqueous solutions

The complexation between poly(ethylene imine) (PEI) and poly(2-acrylamido-2-methylpropanesulfonic acid) (PAMPS) or AMPS copolymers was investigated with the relative excimer emission intensity I_E/I_M of a cationic probe 1-pyrenemethylamine hydrochloride (PyMeA · HCl), fluorescence nonradiative energy transfer (NRET) I_Py/I_Np of naphthalene to pyrene labels, the fluorescence anisotropy r and I_E/I_M of pyrene labels. PEI was a hyperbranched weak polycation in acid solution, which formed complex with anionic polyelectrolytes due to the electrostatic attraction. The I_E/I_M of PyMeA · HCl probe decreased to zero, the intra-, intermolecular NRET I_Py/I_Np and I_E/I_M of pyrene labels on the AMPS copolymers reached their maxima when χ was increased from 0 to 2.4, which was defined as the mole ratio of the amino group in PEI to the AMPS group in the polyanion. These facts indicated the formation of nonstoichiometric complex of the oppositely charged polyelectrolytes when χ = 2.4 at the concentration much lower than their overlap concentrations. The intermolecular aggregate appeared as indicated by an increase in the intermolecular I_Py/I_Np and r with χ up to 2.4 due to neutralizing and hydrophobizing the polyelectrolytes and the bridging effect of the PEI chain bound on different polyanion chains. At high pH, PEI became a neutral polymer and did not bind with the AMPS anion to form the complex as illustrated by the constant value of r for the pyrene labels attached to the AMPS polyanion as that without addition of PEI. The amino group in PEI quenched pyrene and naphthalene emission, resulting a decrease in both I_Np and I_Py.     

Reaction-based Hg signaling by excimer–monomer switching of a bis-pyrene dithioacetal

A novel reaction-based probe for fluorescence signaling of Hg²⁺ ions was developed. Selective Hg²⁺-induced cleavage of a dithioacetal resulting in switching from pyrene excimer to monomer emission was used for the signaling. Changes in excimer and monomer emissions of pyrene were readily employed for ratiometric signaling of Hg²⁺ ions in aqueous acetonitrile. Selective signaling of Hg²⁺ ions over other common metal ions was observed with a detection limit of 9.8 × 10⁻⁷ M.     

Synthesis and fluorescence sensing properties of novel pyrene-armed calix[4]arene derivatives

Fluorogenic tert-butylcalix[4]arenes bearing two pyrene pendant groups at the lower rim were synthesized. Based on ratiometric changes of monomer and excimer emissions, the pyrene amine derivative of calix[4]arene has been found to act as a selective sensor for Pb²⁺ and Cu²⁺ ions, respectively, due to a conformational change upon chelation of these ions.     

A dipyrenyl calixazacrown chemosensor for Mg

A new fluorogenic calix[4]tetraaza-crown-6 (4) bearing two pyrene amide groups has been prepared. It was shown to be selective for Mg²⁺. When Mg²⁺ is bound to 4, the pyrene monomer emission increased while the excimer emission declined in a ratiometric manner. It is shown by ¹H NMR that this ratiometric change is due to the conformational changes of the pyrenes during the chelation of Mg²⁺ by the amide functions to form a 1:1 complex.     

Synthesis,supramolecular complexation and DFTstudies of a bis(pyrene)-appended ‘capped’ triazole-linked calix[4]arene as Zn2+ and Cd2+ fluorescent chemosensors

ABSTRACT

A new bimodal triazole-bridged pyrene-appended calix[4]arene 2g has been synthesised and characterised and complexation studies showed that the binding of Cd²⁺ and Zn²⁺ occurs as demonstrated by enhanced monomer and declining excimer emission fluorescence spectral changes. With several other metal ions, quenching of both monomer and excimer emissions occurred. The observed monomer formation in the fluorescence spectra seen with Zn²⁺ and Cd²⁺ is possibly linked not just to the diminished parallel orientations of the pyrene rings but with the magnitude of the resulting HOMO-LUMO gaps and other parameters measured by DFT calculations.     

A Cu<Superscript>2+</Superscript>ion-selective fluoroionophore with dual off/on switches

A new malonamide fluoroionophore possessing two pyrene moieties was synthesized. This bispyrene exhibited the fluorescence of the pyrene monomer (λ_em = 395 nm) and intramolecular excimer (λ_em = 467 nm) emissions. The designed derivative showed the excellent ion sensing ability to Cu²⁺. The "on-off-off" and "off-on-off" fluorescence responses were demonstrated by the addition of the variable Cu²⁺ concentration. The utilization of the dual off/on responses could apply to the estimation of the rough Cu²⁺ concentration.     

On/off fluorescence switch of a calix[4]arene by metal ion exchange

A new calix[4]arene-based fluorescence chemosensor displaying a strong excimer emission was prepared. When a Pb²⁺ ion is bound to the two amide oxygen atoms linked to the fluorophores, the ligand exhibits a marked quenched excimer emission due to its geometrical change during the complexation. By the addition of Ca²⁺ ion into the 1·Pb²⁺, the excimer emission band was revived, by which an interesting on/off switch process is proposed.     

Ratiometry of monomer/excimer emissions of dipyrenyl thiacalix[4]arene for Cu detection: a potential Cu and K switched INHIBIT logic gate with NOT and YES logic functions

A new thiacalix[4]arene derivative 2 of 1,3-alternate conformation possessing two pyrene groups has been synthesized and examined for its cation recognition abilities towards different cations such as lithium, sodium, potassium, nickel, zinc, cadmium, silver, mercury, lead and copper by fluorescence spectroscopy. In CH₃CN/CH₂Cl₂ (1:1), the presence of Cu(II) induces the formation of a 1:2 ligand/metal complex, which exhibits increasing monomer emission at 376 nm at the expense of the fluorescent excimer emission of 2 centered at 476 nm. In the presence of K⁺, the intensity of the excimer emission increases along with the formation of a new blue shifted band at 435 nm which corresponds to a static dimer. The compound behaves as a fluorescent molecular switch upon chemical input of Cu²⁺ and K⁺.     

Study of the diffusion of pyrene in silicone polymer coatings by steady state fluorescence technique: effects of pyrene concentration

The concentration dependence of the diffusion coefficient of pyrene in single component and two-component room temperature curing silicone polymer coatings is investigated by the steady state fluorescence technique by measuring the pyrene excimer fluorescence intensity. At pyrene concentrations lower than 10 mM, the intensity of excimer fluorescence is proportional to the concentration and at higher concentrations it deviates from this trend due to concentration quenching. Thermal aging studies show that this concentration quenching can be removed by thermal annealing and the excimer emission intensity approaches the value expected from the trend at lower concentrations. The diffusion coefficient of pyrene at low concentrations in silicone polymer coatings is obtained using the approximate solution of one-dimensional diffusion equation. A modified approach is employed to estimate the diffusion coefficient at higher pyrene concentrations. In this method, the excimer intensity and time scale are shifted, respectively to I_max the maximum value of excimer intensity attained during annealing and t_max, the time taken to reach this. The estimated diffusion coefficients at different pyrene concentrations show a negligible dependence on pyrene concentration in both types of polymers. These results are attributed to the high structural mobility of silicone polymer chains due to their molecular structure.     

Pyrene-appended calix[4]crowned logic gates involving normal and reverse PET: NOR, XNOR and INHIBIT

As a novel sensing system, N-(1-pyrenylmethyl) amide-appended calix[4]crown-5 (2) and crown-6 (3) have been newly synthesized. Judging from the fluorescence changes upon the addition of cations, 3 having crown-6 ring showed the Pb²⁺ ion selectivity over other cations tested regarding fluorescence quenching. Upon the Pb²⁺ ion coordination to two amide oxygen atoms with aid of crown ring, a reverse-photo-induced electron transfer (PET) occurs in such a way that electrons transfer from the pyrene groups to the electron deficient amide oxygen atoms to give a quenched fluorescence. By the addition of either HClO₄ or triethylamine in the solution of 3, the fluorescence intensity decreased because of the reverse-PET from pyrene groups to protonated amide oxygen atoms and because of normal PET from the nitrogen anion formed by triethylamine to pyrene groups, respectively. For 3, NOR logic gate in which the strong fluorescence signal appears at 395 nm (output: 1) is operated only when neither of triethylamine nor Pb(ClO₄)₂ (inputs A and B) is added (A=B: 0). XNOR gate is also operated only when both of two inputs are added (triethylamine and HClO₄, A=B: 1) or when neither of two inputs is added (A=B: 0). Then, for 3, new INHIBIT gate system was also designed using such combinational inputs as HClO₄, Pb(ClO₄)₂ and triethylamine.     

Fluoride-induced intermolecular excimer formation of bispyrenyl thioureas linked by polyethylene glycol chains

New bispyrenyl thioureas linked by polyethylene glycol (PEG) chains, L1-L3, and methoxy benzene pyrene thiourea, L4, were synthesized. Upon binding with F⁻ in CHCl₃, L1-L3 exhibited strong excimer emission bands (I_E) and weak monomer emission bands (I_M), while L4 displayed the same intensity of both bands. However, little or no change was observed in fluorescence spectra of L1 upon adding OH⁻, AcO⁻, BzO⁻, H₂PO₄⁻, Cl⁻, Br⁻, and I⁻. Therefore, only F⁻ induced the pyrene excimer formation. Job’s plots showed 1/1 or 2/2 complexation of L1 with F⁻. Ratios of I_E/I_M of L1·F⁻ complex were dependent on the concentration of L1, implying that the dimerization of L1 proceeded via the intermolecular excimer formation. Among L1-L4, L1 possessed the highest binding constant and sensitivity toward F⁻ implying the importance of the linking PEG chain. L1 was demonstrated to be an excellent probe for F⁻ in CHCl₃ with the detection limit as low as 46.2 μg/L.     

Fluorescence sensing of Cu and Hg by a dipyrene ligand involving an excimer-switch off mechanism

A novel dipyrene ligand 1 has been designed which shows intramolecular excimer formation in solution. Its specific interaction with Cu²⁺ or Hg²⁺ leads to the disruption of the excimer and results in a fluorescence-mediated sensing of these ions in a mixed organic-aqueous solution. Apart from steady-state studies, time-resolved fluorescence measurements also reveal that excimer-switch off caused by metal ion coordination leads to the selective detection of these ions.     

FRET-derived ratiometric fluorescence sensor for Cu

New N-(pyrenylmethyl)naphtho-azacrown-5 (1) was synthesized as an ‘On-Off’ fluorescent chemosensor for Cu²⁺. Excited at 240 nm corresponding to the absorption of naphthalene unit (energy donor) of 1, emission at 380 nm from pyrene unit (energy acceptor) is observed, indicating that intramolecular fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET-On) occurs in 1. When Cu²⁺ is added to a solution of 1, however, the fluorescence of pyrene is strongly quenched (FRET-Off) whereas that of naphthalene group is revived. Such FRET ‘On-Off’ behavior of 1 is observed only in the case of Cu²⁺ binding, but not for other metal cations. The high selectivity of 1 toward Cu²⁺ can be potentially applied to a new kind of FRET-based chemosensor. The FRET On-Off behavior is supported by computational studies. The calculated molecular orbitals of HOMO and LUMOs suggest the excited-state interactions leading to FRET from naphthalene to pyrene in 1, but no electron density changes in 1·Cu²⁺ complex.     

Binding of Ionic Pyrene Derivatives to Polyelectrolytes. A Uv Absorption and Fluorescence Study

Abstract

The binding of pyrenesulfonic acid and pyrenebutyric acid to poly(vinyl benzyl trimethylammonium) chloride was investigated by UV and fluorescence spectroscopy. It was found that the binding constant was 7.5 × 10⁴ and 3.5 × 10⁴M^?1, respectively. The addition of the polyelectrolyte quenches the fluorescence of the pyrene group, and at the same time the typical excimer emission appears. This emission originates in pre-formed ground state aggregates of the pyrene derivatives incorporated into the polyion domain. Similar effects were observed when anionic polyelectrolytes, poly(styrene sulfonic), and poly(vinyl sulfonic) acids were added to cationic pyrene derivatives. The binding constants depend on the length of the aliphatic sidechain of the derivatives.     

Highly selective fluorescent sensing of Cu ion by an arylisoxazole modified calix[4]arene

A novel fluorescent chemosensor 1 with two anthraceneisoxazolymethyl groups at the lower rim of calix[4]arene has been synthesized, which revealed a dual emission (monomer and excimer) when excited at 375 nm. This chemosensor displayed a selective fluorescence quenching only with Cu²⁺ ion over all other metal ions examined. When Cu²⁺ ion was bound to 1, the fluorescence intensities of both monomer and excimer were quenched. Furthermore, the association constant for the 1:1 complex of 1·Cu²⁺ was determined to be (1.58 ± 0.03) × 10⁴ M⁻¹.