Luminescent lanthanide-binding peptides: sensitising the excited states of Eu(III) and Tb(III) with a 1,8-naphthalimide-based antenna

The investigation into the luminescence properties of a lanthanide-binding peptide, derived from the Ca-binding loop of the parvalbumin, and modified by incorporating a 1,8-naphthalimide (Naph) chromophore at the N-terminus is described. Here, the Naph is used as a sensitising antenna, which can be excited at lower energy than classical aromatic amino acids, such as tryptophan (the dodecapeptide of which was also synthesised and studied herein). The syntheses of the Naph antenna, its solid phase incorporation into the dodecapeptide, and the NMR investigation into the formation of the corresponding lanthanide complexes in solution is presented. We also show that this Naph antenna can be successfully employed to sensitize the excited states of both europium and terbium ions, the results of which was used to determined the stability constants of their formation complexes, and we demonstrated that our peptide 'loop' can selectively bind these lanthanide ions over Ca(II).     

Novel antennae for the sensitization of near infrared luminescent lanthanide cations

Near Infrared (NIR) luminescence is useful for many applications ranging from lasers, telecommunication to biological imaging. We have a special interest for applications in biological media since NIR photons have less interference with such samples. NIR photons can penetrate relatively deeply in tissues and cause less damage to biological samples. The use of NIR luminescence also results in improved detection sensitivity due to low background emission. The lower scattering of NIR photons results in improved image resolution. NIR emitting lanthanide compounds are promising for imaging because of their unique properties such as sharp emission bands, long luminescence lifetimes and photostability. Here, we review our efforts to develop novel sensitizers for NIR emitting lanthanides. We have employed two global strategies: (1) monometallic lanthanide complexes based on derivatives of salophen, tropolonate, azulene and pyridine; and (2) polymetallic lanthanide compounds based on nanocrystals, metal-organic frameworks and dendrimers complexes.     

Recent advances in the sensitized luminescence of organic europium complexes

In this paper, recent advances in the synthesis, mechanism of sensitized emission, and luminescent properties of organic lanthanide complexes are reviewed. Stress is put on the progress in the development of organic europium complexes and their nanoparticles with excellent visible-light-sensitized and two-photon-sensitized Eu^III luminescence properties. These are of increasing importance because bioanalysis or bioimaging techniques based on such labeled materials will combine the advantages of high sensitivity, high signal-to-noise ratio, deep penetration, and low photodamage to biological samples. In addition, the application of long-wavelength-sensitized luminescence of organic lanthanide complexes and their nanoparticles in bioimaging is discussed.     

Detection strategies for bioassays based on luminescent lanthanide complexes and signal amplification

Two attractive detection strategies for bioassays are reviewed in this article. Both approaches use the highly sensitive time-resolved luminescence detection of lanthanide complexes in combination with a signal amplification scheme. While enzyme-amplified lanthanide luminescence (EALL) has been an established technique for more than a decade, nanoparticles doped with luminescent lanthanide complexes have been introduced very recently. In this paper, the basic properties and major applications of both techniques are presented, and their future perspectives are discussed critically.     

Photophysical Properties of Lanthanide (Eu3+, Tb3+) Hybrid Soft Gels of Double Functional Linker of Ionic Liquid–Modified Silane

Four kinds of luminescent hybrid soft gels have been assembled by introducing the lanthanide (Eu³⁺, Tb³⁺) tetrakis β‐diketonate into the covalently bonded imidazolium‐based silica through electrostatic interactions. Here, the imidazolium‐based silica matrices are prepared from imidazolium‐derived organotriethoxysilanes by the sol–gel process, in which the imidazolium cations are strongly anchored within the silica matrices while anions can still be exchanged following application for functionalization of lanthanide complexes. The photoluminescence measurements indicated that these hybrid soft gels exhibit characteristic red and green luminescence originating from the corresponding ternary lanthanide ions (Eu³⁺, Tb³⁺). Further investigation of photophysical properties reveals that these soft gels have inherited the outstanding luminescent properties from the lanthanide tetrakis β‐diketonate complexes such as strong luminescence intensities, long lifetimes and high luminescence quantum efficiencies.     

Lanthanide-binding peptides with two pendant aminodiacetate arms: impact of the sequence on chelation

Lanthanide complexes with a series of hexapeptides-incorporating two unnatural chelating amino acids with aminodiacetate groups, Ada(1) and Ada(2)-have been examined in terms of their speciation, structure, stability and luminescence properties. Whereas Ada(2) acts as a tridentate donor in all cases, Ada(1) may act as a tetradentate donor thanks to the coordination of the amide carbonyl function assisted by the formation of a six-membered chelate ring. The position of the Ada(1) residue in the sequence is demonstrated to be critical for the lanthanide complex speciation and structure. Ada(1) promotes the coordination of the backbone amide function to afford a highly dehydrated Ln complex and an S-shape structure of the peptide backbone, only when found in position 2.     

Remarkable luminescence properties of lanthanide complexes with asymmetric dodecahedron structures

The distorted coordination structures and luminescence properties of novel lanthanide complexes with oxo‐linked bidentate phosphane oxide ligands—4,5‐bis(diphenylphosphoryl)‐9,9‐dimethylxanthene (xantpo), 4,5‐bis(di‐tert‐butylphosphoryl)‐9,9‐dimethylxanthene (tBu‐xantpo), and bis[(2‐diphenylphosphoryl)phenyl] ether (dpepo)—and low‐vibrational frequency hexafluoroacetylacetonato (hfa) ligands are reported. The lanthanide complexes exhibit characteristic square antiprism and trigonal dodecahedron structures with eight‐coordinated oxygen atoms. The luminescence properties of these complexes are characterized by their emission quantum yields, emission lifetimes, and their radiative and nonradiative rate constants. Lanthanide complexes with dodecahedron structures offer markedly high emission quantum yields (Eu: 55–72 %, Sm: 2.4–5.0 % in [D₆]acetone) due to enhancement of the electric dipole transition and suppression of vibrational relaxation. These remarkable luminescence properties are elucidated in terms of their distorted coordination structures.     

Synthesis and structural properties of lanthanide complexes formed with tropolonate ligands

We have previously reported the unique luminescence properties of ML4 complexes formed between tropolonate ligands and a series of lanthanide cations, several of them emitting in the near-infrared domain. The synthesis and composition of ML4 lanthanide tropolonate complexes have been previously described in the literature, but no structural information has been available so far. In this work, the crystal structures of several lanthanide tropolonate complexes (Ln3+ = Tb3+, Dy3+, Ho3+, Er3+, Tm3+, Yb3+, Lu3+) have been isolated and systematically analyzed by X-ray diffraction and compared by using different criteria including the Kepert formalism. Such comparative work is rare in lanthanide coordination chemistry. The analysis of the structures in the solid state reveals that although the packing of the ML4 complexes depends on the nature of the metal ion, the coordination geometries around the different lanthanides is virtually similar for all the cations that have been analyzed; an indication that lanthanide-centered f orbitals play a role in controlling this coordination geometry. Analysis of the solution's behavior by stability constant determination reveals the formation of complexes with similar ML4 stoichiometries as those observed in the solid state. Nevertheless, analysis of the luminescence lifetimes indicates that the coordination environment around the lanthanide cations are different in the solid state and in solution, with the presence of one molecule of water bound to the lanthanide cation in solution. The presence of such a water molecule is a significant source of nonradiative deactivation of the excited states of the lanthanide cations, an unfavorable condition that leads to significant loss in fluorescence intensity of these lanthanide complexes. This exemplifies that such comparative analysis between the solid state and solution is important for the rationalization of the luminescence properties of the complexes. This analysis will aid us in optimizing ligand design for improved photophysical properties of the complex.     

Relationship between the ligand structure and the luminescent properties of water-soluble lanthanide complexes containing bis(bipyridine) anionic arms

A series of six new ligands (L(1)-L(6)) suitable for the formation of luminescent lanthanide complexes in water is described. Ligands L(1)-L(4) are constructed from two 6'-carboxy-6-methylene-2,2'-bipyridine chromophoric arms bonded to the amino function of a 2-aminomethylene-6-carboxy-pyridine (L(1)), an N,N-diacetate-ethylene diamine (L(2)), a serine (L(3)), or an aminomalonic acid (L(4)). For ligands L(5) and L(6), the linking amino function is provided by a glutamic acid, and the anionic functions at the 6'-position of the bipyridyl arms are made of the sodium salts of monoethylphosphonic ester (L(5)) and phosphonic acid (L(6)). The synthesis and characterisation of the ligands are described, together with the study of the formation of lanthanide complexes with europium and terbium. In the case of L(3), the europium complex obtained in acidic conditions was crystallised and the X-ray crystal structure is depicted. Photophysical properties of the complexes were studied by means of UV-visible absorption, and steady-state and time-resolved luminescence spectroscopy. Excited-state luminescence lifetimes of the complexes were determined in water and deuterated water to gain insight into the number of water molecules directly coordinated in the first coordination sphere of the complexes. The coordination behaviour of the series of ligands is questioned in the light of the spectroscopic data and discussed in terms of protection of the cation towards water molecules and their impact on the luminescence efficiency.     

Near-infrared photoluminescence of lanthanide complexes containing the hemicyanine chromophore

The near-infrared luminescence properties of three (E)-N-hexadecyl-N′,N′-dimethylamino-stilbazolium tetrakis(1-phenyl-3-methyl-4-benzoyl-5-pyrazolonato) lanthanide(III) complexes are described. These three complexes, containing trivalent neodymium, erbium and ytterbium, respectively, show near-infrared luminescence in acetonitrile solution upon UV irradiation. Luminescence decay times have been measured. The complexes consist of a positively charged hemicyanine chromophore with a long alkyl chain and a tetrakis(pyrazolonato) lanthanide(III) anion. Because of the absence of an -hydrogen atom in the pyrazolonato ligands, and because of the saturation of the coordination sphere by four bidentate ligands, the luminescence properties are enhanced when compared to, e.g. quinolinate complexes.     

Modulation of luminescence intensity of lanthanide complexes by photoinduced electron transfer and its application to a long-lived protease probe

Luminescent lanthanide complexes (Tb(3+), Eu(3+), etc.) have excellent properties for biological applications, including extraordinarily long lifetimes and large Stokes shifts. However, there have been few reports of lanthanide-based functional probes, because of the difficulty in designing suitable complexes with a luminescent on/off switch. Here, we have synthesized a series of complexes which consist of three moieties: a lanthanide chelate, an antenna, and a luminescence off/on switch. The antenna is an aromatic ring which absorbs light and transmits its energy to the metal, and the switch is a benzene derivative with a different HOMO level. If the HOMO level is higher than a certain threshold, the complex emits no luminescence at all, which indicates that the lanthanide luminescence can be modulated by photoinduced electron transfer (PeT) from the switch to the sensitizer. This approach to control lanthanide luminescence makes possible the rational design of functional lanthanide complexes, in which the luminescence property is altered by a biological reaction. To exemplify the utility of our approach to the design of lanthanide complexes with a switch, we have developed a novel protease probe, which undergoes a significant change in luminescence intensity upon enzymatic cleavage of the substrate peptide. This probe, combined with time-resolved measurements, was confirmed in model experiments to be useful for the screening of inhibitors, as well as for clinical diagnosis.     

Towards libraries of luminescent lanthanide complexes and labels from generic synthons

A synthetic approach is developed to obtain families of luminescent lanthanide complexes and markers from a generic family of precursors built from nonadentate coordination sites. The syntheses of the precursors, based on a directed regioselective nucleophilic aromatic substitution on polyfluoropyridines, are described. Functionalisation of the synthons on the aromatic moieties allowed the introduction of labelling functions and/or the extension of the electronic delocalisation, with concomitant changes in the spectroscopic properties. The synthesis of two such families of ligands and of some of their complexes of Eu(III) and Tb(III) are described, and the photo-physical properties of the complexes were measured, revealing excellent luminescence quantum yields reaching unity in some cases. For some of these complexes, the emphasis was further put on the preparation of an N-hydroxylsuccinimide (NHS) ester as activated function for labelling. The Tb and La complexes in the NHS activated form were synthesized and fully characterized. The labelling was first demonstrated on amino functionalized polymer beads and characterized by time-resolved luminescence microscopy. In a second step, the activated Tb complex was used for the labelling of GFR44 monoclonal antibody, and was applied to the detection of carcinoembryonic antigene (CEA) within the frame of a time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay. Comparison with a commercially available kit based on a europium cryptate as energy donor confirms the efficiency of Tb to act as an energy donor with an unoptimised 35% increase of the detection efficiency.     

Syntheses and Photo-electronic Properties of Lanthanide Acetylacetonate Benzoporphyrins

Metalloporphyrin compounds have been extensively studied in many functional chemistry fields, such as photo-physics and liquid crystal quality studies[1-5]. But the studies of lanthanide acetyl-acetonate benzoporphyrin complexes with meso-tetra-alkyl substituents in the ligand [Ln(TATBP)acac] have not been reported yet. We studied photochemical hole-burning, semiconductor and luminescence properties of these complexes by means of cyclic voltammetry, surface photovoltage and luminescence spectroscopies. These studies will lay the foudations for the choice and application of these materials. The structures of the ligand(TATBP) and complexes [Ln(TATBP)acac] are shown in Fig.1.     

Preparation and luminescence properties of lanthanide (Eu3+, Sm3+) complexes and their hectorite-based composites

The complexes of europium and samarium with phthalates ligands were synthesized and characterized. The luminescence behaviors of the lanthanide complexes as well as their hectorite-based composites were investigated by fluorescence spectra. The results indicated that the lanthanide complexes showed slightly lower intensities in hectorite matrix than that of corresponding pure complexes. The lanthanide ion relative fluorescence intensity (LRFI) was enhanced when the lanthanide complexes were doped into hectorite.     

Induced Circular‐Dichroism Chirality Probes for Selective Amino Acid Detection through Screening of a Dynamic Combinatorial Library of Lanthanide Complexes

A dynamic combinatorial library of lanthanide complexes was prepared to develop induced‐circular‐dichroism (CD) chirality probes. It totaled 168 combinations of coordinative N‐aromatic chromophores, trivalent lanthanide centers, and guest amino acids. Eu³⁺ and Tb³⁺ complexes prepared with quinolinecarboxylic acid were particularly effective as induced‐CD chirality probes for selective alanine detection, whereas a Yb³⁺ complex with terpyridine exhibited glutamine selectivity. The former two complexes highly preferred alanine to the corresponding amine, ester, amino alcohol, and carboxylic acid derivatives. As such, the present combinatorial screening of a dynamic lanthanide complex library has led to a new series of induced‐CD chirality probes for specific amino acids.     

稀土铕、铽配合物在温度发光传感领域的研究进展

稀土发光配合物材料基于其独特的4f-4f电子跃迁表现出优异的发光性能,特别是铕和铽配合物材料,发光波长在可见光区范围内,发射谱带狭窄且尖锐(半峰宽通常小于10 nm),非常适合应用于显示设备和传感装置.同时,具备温度依赖发光性能的铕和铽配合物能够实现高灵敏度、高效的温度传感过程,使其有望用于流体动力学、航空航天、环境工...     

Double-lanthanide-binding tags: design, photophysical properties, and NMR applications

Lanthanide-binding tags (LBTs) are peptide sequences of up to 20 encoded amino acids that tightly and selectively complex lanthanide ions and can sensitize terbium (Tb3+) luminescence. On the basis of these properties, it was predicted that increasing the number of bound lanthanides would improve the capabilities of these tags. Therefore, using a structurally well-characterized single-LBT sequence as a starting point, a "double-LBT" (dLBT), which concatenates two lanthanide-binding motifs, was designed. Herein we report the generation of dLBT peptides and luminescence and NMR studies on a dLBT-tagged ubiquitin fusion protein. These lanthanide-bound constructs are shown to be improved luminescent tags with avid lanthanide binding and up to 3-fold greater luminescence intensity. NMR experiments were conducted on the ubiquitin construct, wherein bound paramagnetic lanthanides were used as alignment-inducing agents to gain residual dipolar couplings, which are valuable restraints for macromolecular structure determination. Together, these results indicate that dLBTs will be valuable chemical tools for biophysical applications leading to new approaches for studying the structure, function, and dynamics of proteins.     

1-Azathioxanthone Appended Lanthanide(III) DO3A Complexes That Luminesce Following Excitation at 405 nm**

Since the pioneering report by Selvin, we have been fascinated by the potential of using lanthanide luminescence in bioimaging. The uniquely narrow emission lines and long luminescence lifetimes both provide the potential for background free images together with full certainty of probe localization. General use of lanthanide based bioimaging was first challenged by low brightness, and later by the need of UV (<405 nm) excitation sources not present in commercial microscopes. Here, we designed three lanthanide-based imaging probes based on a known motif to investigate the limitations of 405 nm excitation. These were synthesized, characterized, investigated on dedicated as well as commercial microscopes, and the photophysics was explored in detail. It was proven without doubt that the lanthanide complexes enter the cells and luminesce internally. Even so, no lanthanide luminescence were recovered on the commercial microscopes. Thus, we returned to the photophysical properties that afforded the conclusion that – despite the advances in light sources and photodetectors – we need new designs that can give us brighter lanthanide complexes before bioimaging with lanthanide luminescence becomes something that is readily done.     

近红外发光稀土配合物及杂化材料研究进展

稀土因其特殊的物理和化学性质,在信息技术、能源技术、生物技术等高科技领域及国防建设等方面都起着非常重要的作用,中国作为稀土大国,十分重视对稀土材料的研究和开发。稀土离子近红外发光(750～1700 nm)在激光和光纤通讯、医学诊断、免疫分析等热门领域的潜在应用,受到了科研人员的极大关注。稀土离子本身发光极弱,通过分子内传能有机配体可以敏化稀土离子发光,但稀土配合物常受外界干扰,其稳定性较差,若将其与凝胶、介孔材料、离子液体等无机基质复合,得到具有良好光、热稳定性和化学稳定性的有机/无机杂化材料。总结了近些年来近红外发光稀土配合物及近红外发光稀土杂化材料的研究进展,并对其发展前景进行了展望。     

稀土/L型沸石主-客体发光功能材料的研究进展

沸石微孔晶体材料作为客体功能物种的主体材料在主-客体组装化学中发挥着越来越重要的作用,在微型激光器、非线性光学、生物成像、光放大及光显示等高技术领域已显示出广阔、诱人的发展前景.本文介绍国内外,特别是河北工业大学在稀土/L型沸石主-客体杂化功能材料的组装、结构及其发光性能的研究工作,具体包括：稀土有机配合物在L沸石孔道内的组装、L型沸石-有机高分子透明杂化发光材料的制备及稀土有机配合物诱导控制的L型沸石自组装等.此外,本文对稀土/L型沸石主-客体杂化发光功能材料的研究进行了展望.