Synthesis and Characterization of Far‐Red/NIR‐Fluorescent BODIPY Dyes,Solid‐State Fluorescence,and Application as Fluorescent Tags Attached to Carbon Nano‐onions

A series of π‐extended distyryl‐substituted boron dipyrromethene (BODIPY) derivatives with intense far‐red/near‐infrared (NIR) fluorescence was synthesized and characterized, with a view to enhance the dye’s performance for fluorescence labeling. An enhanced brightness was achieved by the introduction of two methyl substituents in the meso positions on the phenyl group of the BODIPY molecule; these substituents resulted in increased structural rigidity. Solid‐state fluorescence was observed for one of the distyryl‐substituted BODIPY derivatives. The introduction of a terminal bromo substituent allows for the subsequent immobilization of the BODIPY fluorophore on the surface of carbon nano‐onions (CNOs), which leads to potential imaging agents for biological and biomedical applications. The far‐red/NIR‐fluorescent CNO nanoparticles were characterized by absorption, fluorescence, and Raman spectroscopies, as well as by thermogravimetric analysis, dynamic light scattering, high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy, and confocal microscopy.     

A Boryl‐Substituted Diphosphene: Synthesis,Structure, and Reaction with n‐Butyllithium To Form a Stabilized Adduct by pπ‐pπ Interaction

A boryl‐substituted diphosphene was synthesized through the nucleophilic borylation of PCl₃ with a borylzinc reagent, followed by a reduction with Mg. A combined analysis of the resulting diboryldiphosphene by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction, DFT calculations, and UV/Vis spectroscopy revealed a σ‐electron‐donating effect for the boryl substituent that was slightly weaker than that of the 2,4,6‐tri‐tert‐butylphenyl (Mes*) ligand. The reaction of this diboryldiphosphene with ⁿBuLi afforded a boryl‐substituted phosphinophosphide that was, in comparison with the thermally unstable Mes*‐substituted diaryldiphosphene, stabilized by a π‐electron‐accepting effect of the boryl substituent.     

A Boryl‐Substituted Diphosphene: Synthesis,Structure, and Reaction with n‐Butyllithium To Form a Stabilized Adduct by pπ‐pπ Interaction

A boryl‐substituted diphosphene was synthesized through the nucleophilic borylation of PCl₃ with a borylzinc reagent, followed by a reduction with Mg. A combined analysis of the resulting diboryldiphosphene by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction, DFT calculations, and UV/Vis spectroscopy revealed a σ‐electron‐donating effect for the boryl substituent that was slightly weaker than that of the 2,4,6‐tri‐tert‐butylphenyl (Mes*) ligand. The reaction of this diboryldiphosphene with ⁿBuLi afforded a boryl‐substituted phosphinophosphide that was, in comparison with the thermally unstable Mes*‐substituted diaryldiphosphene, stabilized by a π‐electron‐accepting effect of the boryl substituent.     

Effect of the Substitution Pattern on the Intramolecular Charge‐Transfer Emissions in Organoboron‐Based Biphenyls,Diphenylacetylenes, and Stilbenes

Three series of organoboron‐based molecules, including biphenyls 1a , 1b , 1c , diphenylacetylenes 2a , 2b , 2c , and stilbenes 3a , 3b , 3c , in which the electron‐accepting boryl and the electron‐donating amino groups are introduced at different positions, have been comprehensively investigated to explore the effect of the substitution pattern on the intramolecular charge‐transfer emissions. In cyclohexane solution, the change of substitution pattern from p,p′ to o,p′ by introduction of boryl at the lateral o‐position rather than the terminal p‐position leads to bathochromism in the absorption and emission spectra. With further variation of the amino position from the terminal p′‐position in o,p′‐substitution to the lateral o′‐position in an o,o′‐substitution pattern, a blueshift was observed in the absorption owing to the less‐efficient conjugation extension of the amino group as the result of sp³ hybridization. It is notable that the emission of the three series of molecules changes with completely different trends. Only the emission of the biphenyl is redshifted further from o,p′‐substituted 1b to o,o′‐substituted 1a , whereas o,o′‐substituted diphenylacetylene 2a maintains almost the same spectrum as that of o,p′‐substituted diphenylacetylene 2b and the fluorescence of o,o′‐substituted stilbene 3a is even blueshifted compared with o,p′‐substituted stilbene 3b . As a result, the o,o′‐substituted biphenyl 1a shows the longest emission wavelength despite the limited conjugation of the parent biphenyl skeleton. The long emission wavelength of 1a may arise from its extremely twisted structure, which would cause a significant structural relaxation in the exited state. In the solid state, 1a still keeps almost the longest emission wavelength. In addition, its quantum yield is also among the highest. The unusual properties, intense solid‐state emission together with long emission wavelength, and particularly large Stokes shift, which are difficult to attain by structural modification of other parent π‐conjugated frameworks, have been achieved by the introduction of boryl and amino groups at the o,o′‐positions of the biphenyl skeleton.     

6‐Methoxy‐2‐oxo‐1,2‐dihydroquinoline‐3,4‐dicarbonitriles,A Red Compound Class with Solvent and pH Independent Green Fluorescence Maxima

The sodium p‐toluenesulfinate mediated reaction of potassium cyanide with 4‐chlorocarbostyrils 8 , 16 , 18 , and 23 gave in all cases the highly fluorescent and stable 6‐methoxy‐2‐oxoquinoline‐3,4‐dicarbonitrile 9 (λ_exc 460 nm and λ_em 545 nm). This is remarkable, because starting carbostyrils 8 , 16 , 18 , and 23 had a chloro substituent, a nitro substituent, an acetylamino substituent, or a piperidinyl substituent in position 3. Hence, we observed not only a substitution of the 4‐chloro and expected 3‐chloro substituents by the cyanide nucleophile but also an exchange of a nitro substituent, an acetylamino substituent, and a piperidinyl substituent in position 3. The multistep insertion of substituents leading to 8 , 16 , 18 , and 23 started from 4‐hydroxy‐6‐methoxyquinolone 4 , easily obtained from p‐anisidine and malonic acid. Substitutions in position 3 gave 4‐hydroxy‐3‐nitro and 3‐chloro intermediates, which were converted to 3,4‐dichlorocarbostyril 8 and 4‐chloro‐3‐nitrocarbostyril 16 . Reduction of the 3‐nitro intermediate led to the 3‐acetylamino analog and subsequent chlorination led to 3‐acetylamino‐4‐chlorocarbostyril 18 . 4‐Chloro‐3‐piperidinylcarbostyril 23 was obtained from intermediate 3,3‐dichloroquinolinedione by subsequent amination, reduction and chlorination. Further, 3‐acetylamino‐4‐chlorocarbostyril 18 gave with lithium p‐toluenesulfinate highly fluorescent 3‐amino‐6‐methoxy‐4‐p‐tolylsulfonylquinolone 19 .     

Synthesis and Antibacterial Activity of 3‐(5‐Methylisoxazol‐3‐yl) −1,2,4‐triazolo [3,4‐b]‐1,3,4‐thiadiazine Derivatives

The condensed products 2‐10 of 4‐amino‐5‐mercapto‐3‐(5‐methylisoxazol‐3‐yl)‐l,2,4‐triazole (1) with chloroacetaldehyde, 2‐bromocyclohexanone, chloranil, ωbromo‐ω‐(1H‐1, 2,4‐triazol‐l‐yl)acetophenone, 2‐bromo‐4′‐substituted acetophenones and 2‐bromo‐6′‐methoxy‐2′‐acetonaphthone were described. The antibacterial activities were also evaluated.     

Functionalization of Hexa‐peri‐hexabenzocoronenes: Investigation of the Substituent Effects on a Superbenzene

We have demonstrated that the iridium‐catalyzed direct borylation of hexa‐peri‐hexabenzocoronene (HBC) enables regioselective introduction of boryl groups to the para‐, ortho‐, and meta‐substituted HBCs in high yields. The boryl groups have been transformed into various functionalities such as hydroxy, cyano, ethynyl, and amino groups. We have elucidated that the substituents significantly influence the photophysical properties of HBCs to enhance fluorescence quantum yields. DFT calculations revealed that the origin of the substituent effect is the lift in degeneracy in the frontier orbitals by an interaction with electron‐donating and electron‐withdrawing substituents at the para‐ and ortho‐positions. The change in molecular orbitals results in an increase of the transition probability from the S₀→S₁ states. In addition, the two‐photon absorption cross‐section values of para‐substituted HBCs are significantly larger than those of ortho‐ and meta‐substituted HBCs.     

Modulation of Crystal Packing via the Tuning of Peripheral Functionality for a Family of Dinuclear Mesocates

A family of four novel pyrazinyl‐hydrazone based ligands have been synthesized with differing functionality at the 5‐position of the central aromatic ring. Previous work has shown such ligands to form dinuclear triple mesocates which pack to form hexagonal channels capable of gas sorption. The effect of the peripheral functionality of the ligand on the crystal packing was investigated by synthesizing complexes 1 to 4 which feature amino, bromo, iodo and methoxy substituents respectively. Complexes 1 to 3 crystallized in the same hexagonal space group P6₃/m and featured 1D channels. However, on closer inspection while the packing of 1 is mediated by hydrogen bonding interactions, the packing of complexes 2 and 3 are not, due to a subtlety different π–π stacking interaction enforced by the halogen substituent. The more bulky nature of the methoxy substituent of 4 results in the complex crystallizing in the triclinic space group P‐1, featuring an entirely different crystal packing.     

Expansion of Photostable Luminescent Radicals by Meta-Substitution

Polychlorinated pyridyldiphenylmethyl radicals having substituents meta to the position bearing the carbon-centered radical (α-carbon) are synthesized. All of them are stable in ambient conditions in solutions and fluorescent in cyclohexane. The fluorescence of the radicals with bromo, phenyl, 4-chlorophenyl, or 2-pyridyl substituents are enhanced in chloroform, while the emission of the radicals with 2-thienyl or 2-furyl substituents are quenched in chloroform. DFT and TD-DFT calculations indicate that the first doublet excited states of the former are locally excited, while the first doublet excited states of the latter are charge transfer states from the π-electron-donating substituent to the accepting radical. The latter also show much higher photostability under 370-nm light irradiation compared with the first reported photostable fluorescent radical, (3,5-dichloro-4-pyridyl)bis(2,4,6-trichlorophenyl)methyl radical (PyBTM), with pronounced bathochromic shifts of the fluorescence.     

Small Iminocoumarin Derivatives as Red Emitters: From Biological Imaging to Highly Photoluminescent Non‐doped Micro‐ and Nanofibres

The fluorescence properties of four derivatives of 3‐thienyl‐2‐(N‐dicyanovinyl)iminocoumarin, bearing a diethylamino group in the 7‐position or a methoxy group in the 6, 7 and 8 positions, were compared in solution and in the solid state. The 7‐diethylamino derivative was strongly fluorescent in various solvents, with marked solvatochromism. Its fluorescence was quenched by aggregation. In contrast, the methoxy derivatives were only moderately or weakly fluorescent in solution, but two of them were strongly photoluminescent in the crystalline state, owing to favourable molecular packing. The 6‐methoxy derivative even exhibited spectacular crystallization‐enhanced emission, examples of which are particularly rare for this type of dyes. Dyes were tested for biological use. The 7‐diethylamino derivative led to particularly strong fluorescence staining of the cytoplasm of HCT‐116 colon cancer cells. No fading was observed over prolonged illumination by the microscope light beam, but a phototoxic effect was detected. The use of the dyes as red‐emitting materials was also investigated. Using easy‐to‐implement preparation methods, the compounds self‐ assembled to give one‐dimensional nano‐ and microsized particles, including millimeter‐long microfibres that exhibited clear wave‐guiding properties. This study shows the value of these low molecular‐weight molecules for the preparation of new orange and red‐emitting fluorescent materials based on totally pure dye.     

Heterocyclic Systems Containing Bridged Nitrogen Atom: Synthesis and Antibacterial Activity of 3‐(2‐Phenylquinolin‐4‐yl)/3‐(1‐p‐Chlorophenyl‐5‐methyl‐1,2,3‐triazol‐4‐yl)‐s‐triazolo[3,4‐b]‐1,3,4‐thiadiazine Derivatives

The condensation of 4‐amino‐5‐mercapto‐3‐(2‐phenylquinolin‐4‐yl)/3‐(1‐p‐chlorophenyl‐5‐methyl‐1,2,3‐triazol‐4‐yl)‐1,2,4‐triazoles 1a‐b with chloroacetaldehyde 2a‐b , ω‐bromo‐ω‐(1H‐1,2,4‐triazol‐1‐yl)acetophenone 3a‐b , chloranil 4a‐b , 2‐bromocyclohexanone 5a‐b , 2,4′‐dibromoacetophenone 6a‐b and 2‐bromo‐6′‐methoxy‐2′‐acetonaphthone 7a‐b are described. The structures of the compounds synthesized were confirmed by elemental analyses, IR, 1H NMR and mass spectra. The antibacterial activities were also evaluated.     

Sensitized Lanthanide‐Ion Luminescence with Aryl‐Substituted N‐(2‐Nitrophenyl)acetamide‐Derived Chromophores

The syntheses of the two tetraazamacrocyclic ligands L1 and L2 bearing a [(methoxy‐2‐nitrophenyl)amino]carbonyl chromophore, i.e., an N‐(methoxy‐2‐nitrophenyl)acetamide moiety, together with their corresponding lanthanide‐ion complexes are described. A combined spectroscopic (UV/VIS, ¹H‐NMR), structural (X‐ray), and theoretical (DFT) investigation revealed that the absorption properties of the chromophores were dictated by the extent of electronic delocalisation, which in turn was determined by the position of the MeO substituent at the aromatic ring. X‐Ray crystallographic studies showed that when attached to the macrocycle, both isomeric forms of the N‐(methoxy‐2‐nitrophenyl)acetamide unit can participate in coordination, via the C?O, to an encapsulated potassium cation. Luminescence measurements confirmed that such a binding mode also exists in solution for the corresponding lanthanide complexes (q ca. ≤1), with the para‐MeO derivative allowing longer wavelength sensitization (λ_ex 330 nm).     

Asymmetrical Fluorene[2,3‐b]benzo[d]thiophene Derivatives: Synthesis,Solid‐State Structures,and Application in Solution‐Processable Organic Light‐Emitting Diodes

A series of novel asymmetrical fused compounds containing the backbone of fluorene[2,3‐b]benzo[d]thiophene (FBT) were effectively synthesized and fully characterized. Single‐crystal X‐ray studies demonstrated that the length of the substituent side chains greatly affects the solid‐state packing of the obtained fused compounds. DFT, photophysical, and electrochemical studies all showed that the FBTs have large band gaps, low‐lying HOMO energy levels, and therefore good stability toward oxidation. Moreover, the substituents strongly influence the fluorescence properties of the resulting FBT derivatives. The di‐n‐hexyl compound exhibits intense fluorescence in solution with the highest quantum yield of up to 91 %. Solution‐processed green phosphorescent organic light‐emitting diodes with the di‐n‐butyl derivative as the host material exhibited a maximum brightness of 14 185 cd m^?2 and a luminescence efficiency of 12 cd A^?1.     

Synthesis and fluorescence properties of substituted 7‐aminocoumarin‐3‐carboxylate derivatives

4‐Trifluoromethyl‐ or 6‐bromo‐substituted 7‐diethylaminocoumarin‐3‐carboxamide derivatives 2 and 3, each containing a maleimide have been synthesized as potential fluorescent labeling reagents for thiol groups in proteins and their fluorescence properties have been determined. The 4‐trifluoromethyl substituted compound 2 has a significantly greater Stokes shift than the comparable compound lacking this group, but both the new coumarins have low fluorescence quantum yields (?_f). When a 4‐trifluoromethyl substituent is present, the 3‐carboxamide is unusually labile to hydrolysis. Bromination of ethyl 7‐diethylaminocoumarin‐3‐carboxylate 17 gave the 6‐ and 8‐bromo derivatives 18 and 19 respectively, and also the 8‐bromo‐7‐monoethylamino compound 20. ?_f for the latter compound is 100‐fold greater than for its diethylamino analogue 19. Fluorescence lifetime measurements support an interpretation based on the twisted intramolecular charge transfer (TICT) model to explain these large differences in ?_f.     

Fluorescence Properties of Diphenylthiazolo[4,5‐b]pyrazines Tuned by Donor‐Acceptor Substituent Effects

Fluorescence properties of 2,6‐ and 2,5‐diphenylthiazolo[4,5‐b]pyrazine (TPy) derivatives having an electron‐donating substituent (methoxy and dimethylamino) on the 6‐ and 5‐phenyl groups were studied. It was found that 2,6‐diphenyl derivatives fluoresce more efficiently than 2,5‐diphenyl derivatives. Furthermore, a 2,6‐diphenyl derivative having an additional cyano group on the 2‐phenyl ring was an excellent fluorophore showing a wide solvatochromism with great fluorescence yields. Based on the obtained spectroscopic data and mechanistic explanations concerning the substituent effects on the fluorescence properties, useful information on designing new TPy fluorophores is provided.     

Nucleic acid related compounds. 114. Synthesis of 2,6‐(disubstituted)purine 2′,3′‐dideoxynucleosides and selected cytotoxic,anti‐hepatitis b,and adenosine deaminase substrate activities

Selected 2,6‐(disubstituted)purine 2′,3′‐didehydro‐2′,3′‐dideoxynucleosides and 2′,3′‐dideoxynucleosides were prepared and evaluated. Treatment of 5′‐protected ribonucleosides with phenoxythiocarbonyl chloride and 4‐(dimethylamino)pyridine, or under Schotten‐Baumann conditions, gave high yields of 2′,3′‐O‐thiono‐carbonates that underwent Corey‐Winter elimination. Treatment of unprotected ribonucleosides with α‐ace‐toxyisobutyryl bromide in “moist” acetonitrile gave trans 2′,3′‐bromohydrin acetate mixtures that underwent reductive elimination with zinc‐copper couple or zinc/acetic acid. Catalytic hydrogenation of the resulting 2′,3′‐enes gave 2′,3′‐dideoxynucleosides. Treatment of the 2‐amino‐6‐chloropurine and 6‐amino‐2‐fluoro‐purine derivatives with nucleophiles gave 2,6‐(disubstituted)purine 2′,3′‐dideoxynucleosides. 2′,3′‐Dideoxyguanosine and the 2‐amino‐6‐[amino ( 16d ), methoxy ( 16b ), ethoxy ( 16c ), and methylamino ( 16j )]purine 2′,3′‐dideoxynucleosides showed good anti‐hepatitis B activity with infected primary duck hepatocytes. Cytotoxic effects with selected analogues were evaluated in human T‐lymphoblastic and promyelocytic leukemia cell lines. The 2‐amino‐6‐fluoro derivative 16m was the most cytotoxic of the 2‐amino‐6‐(substituted)purine 2′,3′‐dideoxynucleosides, and 2‐fluoro‐2′,3′‐dideoxyadenosine ( 21a ) was the most cytotoxic compound. The order of efficiency of hydrolysis of the 6‐substituent from 2‐amino‐6‐(sub‐stituted)purine 2′,3′‐dideoxynucleosides (V_max/K_m) with adenosine deaminase from calf intestine was: 2‐amino‐6‐[amino ( 16d ) > methoxy ( 16b ) > ethoxy ( 16c )], all of which were ≤3% of the efficiency with adenosine. The 6‐methylamino derivative 16j , as well as 16b , 16c , and 16d were readily converted into 2′,3′‐dideoxyguanosine by duck cell supernatants.     

Regiospecific design strategies for 3‐arylpolythiophenes with pendant stable radical groups

Carbon—carbon bond‐forming polymerization of 2‐bromo‐3‐(3′,5′‐di‐t‐butyl‐4′‐methoxyphenyl)‐thiophene yields poly[3‐(3′,5′‐di‐t‐butyl‐4′‐methoxyphenyl)‐2,5‐thienylene] with regiospecific connectivity and a degree of polymerization of about six. Lewis‐acid‐moderated‐cleavage of the methoxy groups on the pendant phenyl group yield the corresponding polyphenolic polymer, which is oxidized under solution conditions to yield the title polyradical. Poly[3‐(3′,5′‐di‐t‐butyl‐4′‐oxyphenyl)‐2,5‐thienylene] exhibits a strong, persistent electron spin resonance spectrum and a UV–visible spectrum consistent with formation of the pendant phenoxyl spin‐bearing units. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 779–788, 1999     

Acetylene chemistry. Part 27. Palladium catalysed C?C bond formation between quinoline and mono-substituted alkynes: Synthesis of 4-alkynyl-2-bromoquinolines

Six new 4-alkynyl-2-bromoquinolines have been synthesised via palladium catalysed C? C bond formation between 2,4-dibromoquinoline and mono-substituted alkynes. Position of the alkyne substituent was confirmed to be at C-4 by an nOe experiment on some methoxy derivatives prepared by nucleophilic displacement of bromo substituent.     

Strongly Coupled Cyclometalated Ruthenium–Triarylamine Hybrids: Tuning Electrochemical Properties,Intervalence Charge Transfer,and Spin Distribution by Substituent Effects

Nine cyclometalated ruthenium complexes with a redox‐active diphenylamine unit in the para position to the Ru?C bond were prepared. MeO, Me, and Cl substituents on the diphenylamine unit and three types of auxiliary ligands—bis(N‐methylbenzimidazolyl)pyridine (Mebip), 2,2′:6′,2′′‐terpyridine (tpy), and trimethyl‐4,4′,4′′‐tricarboxylate‐2,2′:6′,2′′‐terpyridine (Me₃tctpy)—were used to vary the electronic properties of these complexes. The derivative with an MeO‐substituted amine unit and Me₃tctpy ligand was studied by single‐crystal X‐ray analysis. All complexes display two well‐separated redox waves in the potential region of +0.1 to +1.0 V versus Ag/AgCl, and the potential splitting ranges from 360 to 510 mV. Spectroelectrochemical measurements show that these complexes display electrochromism at low potentials and intense near‐infrared (NIR) absorptions. In the one‐electron oxidized form, the complex with the Cl‐substituted amine unit and Mebip ligand shows a moderate ligand‐to‐metal charge transfer at 800 nm. The other eight complexes show asymmetric, narrow, and intense intervalence charge‐transfer transitions in the NIR region, which are independent of the polarity of the solvent. The Mebip‐containing complexes display rhombic or broad isotropic EPR signals, whereas the other seven complexes show relatively narrow isotropic EPR signals. In addition, DFT and time‐dependent DFT studies were performed to gain insights into the spin distributions and NIR absorptions.     

Preparation of Fluorescent Polystyrene via ATRP with Dimethylamino Chalcones as Initiator

4‐(3‐(4‐(Dimethylamino)phenyl)acryloyl)phenyl‐2‐bromo‐2‐methylpropanoate (APPBr) was used for the heterogeneous atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of styrene (St) with copper(I) bromide/N,N,N′,N′′,N′′‐pentamethyldiethylenetriamine (PMDETA) catalytic system. The functional end group was characterized via UV‐Vis and ¹H NMR spectra. The polymerization showed a first‐order kinetic characteristic and each of the obtained polymers had well‐controlled molecular weight and relatively low polydispersity index (PDI). Furthermore, the obtained end‐functionalized polystyrene (PS) in solution showed strong green‐light emission which is further affected by mixing different metal cations. In particular, the fluorescent intensity of the polymer was decreased in the presence of Ag⁺, Cu²⁺ and Fe³⁺.