SENSITIZED PHOTOOXYGENATION ACCORDING TO TYPE I MECHANISM (RADICAL MECHANISM) — PART III. EXPERIMENTS WITH CONTINUOUS ILLUMINATION

Abstract— The photochemical reaction in the system thionine (sensitizer), allylthiourea (ATU, acceptor), and oxygen was studied with continuous illumination. In oxygen-free aqueous solution thionine is photoreduced to leucothionine. With oxygen, however, a photooxygenation of the acceptor takes place. At the same time the quantum yield of the bleaching reaction of thionine decreases markedly in comparison with that of the oxygen-free solution. At about 100 sec after the beginning of illumination, the overall quantum yield of the bleaching reaction diminishes further because the leucothionine formed during the reaction now becomes transformed into thionine. The quantum yields do not change significantly over the range of oxygen concentrations studied (initial concentration 1 × 10^-5 to 5 × 10^-5 M ). In addition they are independent of the light intensity. The influence of the pH and the acceptor concentration were also investigated.
The sensitizer is not only bleached reductively, but is also partly destroyed by oxidation. The results are in agreement with the reaction scheme elucidated by flash photolysis measurements.
In accordance with this reaction scheme, the primary reaction (a) of the reductive bleaching of the sensitizer, (b) of the photooxygenation of the acceptor and (c) of the oxidative destruction of the sensitizer, is identical in all cases. This process is the redox reaction between the sensitizer triplet and the acceptor, where a semithionine and an ATU-radical are formed. The reaction represents an example of a Type I photooxygenation according to the notation of Gollnick.     

SENSITIZED PHOTOOXYGENATION ACCORDING TO TYPE I MECHANISM (RADICAL MECHANISM) - PART I. FLASH PHOTOLYSIS EXPERIMENTS

Abstract— The photooxygenation of allylthiourea (ATU) sensitized by thionine does not occur according to the singlet oxygen mechanism but rather proceeds via the formation of radicals. In oxygen-free solution the primary process is a redox reaction between the thionine triplet and ATU where a semithionine- and an ATU-radical are formed. In further reaction steps the leuco form of the dye is finally produced (reductive photobleaching; D
R mechanism after Koizumi). The primary process in an oxygen-containing aqueous solution is the same, since at high concentrations of ATU (0·2 M ) the amount of semithionine formed by a photolytic flash, as well as the time course of disappearance of semithionine, does not depend on the oxygen content of the solution.
The reformation of thionine following flash photolysis has been investigated with regard to oxygen concentration and pH dependence. Two different excitation intensities were used. A quadratic dependence of thionine reformation on excitation intensity at high oxygen concentration was observed, indicating a reaction between two photoproducts.
The dependence of the reaction rate of semithionine on the ionic strength has been investigated. These experiments show that the reaction partner of semithionine carries a charge of + 1 in oxygen-free as well as in oxygen-saturated solution.     

9, 10-DICYANOANTHRACENE-SENSITIZED PHOTOOXYGENATION OF α,α'-DIMETHYLSTILBENES. MECHANISM AND KINETICS OF THE COMPETING SINGLET OXYGEN AND ELECTRON TRANSFER PHOTOOXYGENATION REACTIONS

Abstract— The 9, lodicyanoanthracene-sensitized photooxygenation of 2-methyl-2-butene and (+)-limonene proceeds via the singlet oxygen pathway in carbon tetrachloride as well as in acetonitrile, although the fluorescence of the sensitizer in acetonitrile is quenched by these olefins in an electron transfer quenching mechanism. The 9, 10-dicyanoanthracene-sensitized photooxygenation of cis- and trans-ä, ä′-dimethylstilbenes occurs exclusively via the singlet oxygen pathway in carbon tetrachloride; in acetonitrile, however, singlet oxygen and electron transfer photooxygenation reactions compete with one another. Addition of tetra-n-butyl ammonium bromide and increasing oxygen concentrations favor the formation of the singlet oxygen product, whereas addition of anisole, increasing substrate concentrations and decreasing oxygen concentrations favor the electron transfer photooxygenation products. In carbon tetrachloride, exciplexes of the sensitizer and the dimethylstilbenes are formed which give rise to cidrrans-isomerization of the substrates. In acetonitrile, neither exciplex formation nor cisltrans-isomerization are observed. A mechanism is proposed which allows us to calculate product distributions of the competing singlet oxygen/electron transfer photooxygenation reactions and thus to determine the efficiencies with which encounters between the singlet excited sensitizer and the substrates finally result in electron transfer photooxygenation products. Using (I) these efficiencies, (2) the β-value obtained from singlet oxygen photooxygenation sensitized by rose bengal, and (3) the appropriate k-values determined from fluorescence quenching of 9, 10-dicyanoanthracene in MeCN by oxygen and the stilbene, allows the calculation of the quantum yield of oxygen consumption by this stilbene. The quantum yield thus calculated is strictly proportional to the rate of oxygen consumption experimentally obtained; this result is considered as convincing evidence for the mechanism proposed.     

9-Mesityl-10-methylacridinium: an efficient type II and electron-transfer photooxygenation catalyst

The visible-light irradiation of 9-mesityl-10-methylacridinium perchlorate 1 in the presence of monoalkenes and molecular oxygen leads to typical products of singlet oxygen addition (type II photooxygenation). The molecular probes 1-methylcyclohexene and limonene, respectively, result in hydroperoxide mixtures with a characteristic product pattern. A switch in the oxidative mechanism (electron-transfer photooxygenation) is observed for naphthalene derivatives as electron-rich acceptor molecules, revealing that the 9-mesityl-10-methylacridinium cation serves as a dual sensitizer with the capacity of efficient singlet oxygen formation and electron-transfer reaction. [reaction: see text].     

Mechanistic and kinetic aspects of photosensitization in the presence of oxygen

Determining whether the first step of photooxygenation is Type I or Type II is a necessary prerequisite in order to establish the mechanism of photodynamic action. But this distinction is not sufficient, because other processes, both consecutive and competitive, commonly participate in the overall mechanism. Thus, in both Type I and Type II reactions, the initial products are often peroxides that can break down and induce free radical reactions. These aspects of photosensitization are discussed and illustrated by sensitizer/substrate systems involving (1) only radical reactions (decatungstate/alkane) and (2) reactions of singlet oxygen occurring in competitive and consecutive processes and possibly followed by radical reactions (methylene blue/2'-deoxyguanosine). Two other previously investigated systems involving, respectively, a Type II interaction followed by radical processes (methylene blue/alkene) and Type II reactions, some of which being competitive or consecutive (rose bengal/alkene), are briefly reconsidered.     

Merbromin (mercurochrome)--a photosensitizer for singlet oxygen reactions.

Merbromin, produced in many countries and used world wide as an antiseptic under the trademark "mercurochrome", is shown to be an efficient sensitizer for type II (singlet oxygen) photo-oxygenations by using 2-methyl-2-butene, (+)-limonene, (+)-alpha-pinene, alpha,alpha'-dimethylstilbenes and (--)-L-methionine as oxygen acceptors. Type I photo-oxygenations are negligible. An estimate of the quantum yield of singlet oxygen formation by merbromin in methanol gives a value of about 0.1.     

PHOTOOXIDATION OF XANTHOBILIRUBIC ACID IN AQUEOUS SOLUTION: PRODUCT AND MECHANISM STUDIES

Abstract— Xanthobilirubic acid, an oxodipyrrylmethene with a chromophore very similar to that of bilirubin, was aerobically irradiated as its sodium salt in borate buffer at pH 8. Two photooxidation products, methylethylmaleimide and 5-formyl-2,4-dimethyl-1 H -pyrrole-3-propanoic acid, were isolated. These products can be rationalized on the basis of either a Type I or a Type II (singlet oxygen) photooxygenation mechanism. The reaction is inhibited by azide, a singlet oxygen quencher, and sensitized by methylene blue. However, both the self-sensitized and the methylene blue-sensitized reactions are enhanced, rather than inhibited, by high concentrations of 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane, another known singlet oxygen quencher. It is therefore proposed that the diazabicyclooctane can also act as an electron donor.
The self-sensitized photooxidation of xanthobilirubic acid is an autocatalytic reaction. This is supported by the fact that addition of a previously irradiated solution to a freshly-prepared solution significantly increases the rate of photodegradation. A similar catalyst is formed, but much more slowly, from xanthobilirubic acid in the dark in the presence of oxygen.     

THE EFFECTS OF PHOTOOXIDATION BY PROFLAVINE ON HeLa CELLS—1. THE MOLECULAR MECHANISMS*

Abstract— DNA and RNA syntheses were inhibited immediately after proflavine treated HeLa cells were irradiated with visible light (400–500 nm). The molecular mechanism for this photooxidation may be either a free radical-mediated (Type I) or singlet oxygen-mediated (Type II) reaction. Non-toxic free radical and singlet oxygen quenchers were added to cells and sensitizer before irradiation to quench the appropriate excited state intermediate. Photooxidative damage (the inhibition of incorporation of [¹⁴C]-thymidine) in this system was greatly reduced in the presence of free radical quenchers (glutathione, penicillamine) and not significantly affected by the presence of singlet oxygen quenchers (α-tocopherol, β-carotene, DABCO). This suggests that at least part of the photodynamic damage in HeLa cells is via a Type I mechanism.     

TYPE I AND TYPE II MECHANISMS IN THE PHOTOSENSITIZED LYSIS OF PHOSPHATIDYLCHOLINE LIPOSOMES BY HEMATOPORPHYRIN

Abstract The lysis of phosphatidylcholine (PC) liposomes was sensitized to visible light (>500nm) by hematoporphyrin (HP) incorporated in the liposomes (0.09-1.5%, wt/wt) or in the external buffer (1-15 μM). The lytic mechanism changed from the Type II pathway mediated by singlet oxygen (¹O₂) at low HP concentrations to the anoxic, Type I pathway at high HP concentrations. Spectral measurements of HP in aqueous and organic solvents indicate that the HP was not aggregated (monomers and/or dimers) for Type II sensitization and aggregated for Type I conditions. High concentrations of azide (>0.1 M) or DABCO (>0.5 M) were protective with high HP concentration under oxic and anoxic conditions, which cannot involve the scavenging of ¹O₂. Feasible protective mechanisms are quenching of the HP triplet state by high azide and repair of the damaged membrane by DABCO via an electron transfer process. There was significant protection against lysis under Type I conditions by low concentrations of ferricyanide (>1 mM), indicative of an electron transfer mechanism. The incorporation of 22 mol % cholesterol in PC liposomes with 1% HP had no effect on the lytic efficiency for oxic and anoxic conditions. Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine liposomes incorporating 1% HP showed negligible photosensitized lysis at 50°C compared with PC liposomes with 1% HP at 25°C. The promotion of photosensitized lysis by hydrodynamic agitation observed in prior work with methylene blue (Grossweiner and Grossweiner, 1982) was significant with HP sensitization for both Type I and Type II conditions. Actinometry with PC liposomes incorporating 1% HP indicated that photosensitized lysis was very inefficient, requiring many absorbed quanta per lysed liposome. Preliminary experiments with crude hematoporphyrin derivative (Hpd) showed similar concentration effects on lytic efficiency, where PC liposomes incorporating 0.1% (wt/wt) Hpd were strongly sensitized by oxygen, whereas sensitization by oxygen was insignificant with 3.1% Hpd. The results with HP and crude Hpd indicate that lytic damage in a biomembrane does not necessarily require oxygenation.     

SENSITIZED PHOTOOXYGENATION ACCORDING TO TYPE I MECHANISM (RADICAL MECHANISM) — PART II. FLASH PHOTOLYSIS EXPERIMENTS

Abstract— In order to gain further insight into the sensitized photooxygenation of the system thionine, allylthiourea, and oxygen, the influence of the leucothionine, which is formed during the photoreaction, was studied by flash photolysis. In the presence of leucothionine, additional thionine (Λ_obs= 598 nm) is reformed; i.e., leucothionine is oxidized to thionine by way of a semithionine intermediate (Λ_bs= 770 nm). This additional semithionine formation due to leucothionine is complete by 30 μsec after the flash. By varying the leucothionine concentration, the flash intensity and the pH it can be shown that the agent which oxidizes leucothionine to semithionine is identical to the agent which transforms semithionine to thionine.     

THE HEMOLYSIS OF ERYTHROCYTES BY SINGLET OXYGEN GENERATED IN THE GAS PHASE

Many sensitizers cause photodynamic hemolysis of erythrocytes. As these sensitizers usually participate in Type I as well as Type II processes, the determination of the mechanism(s) of photosensitized hemolysis is always ambiguous. Here, human erythrocytes were proved to hemolyze upon treatment with singlet oxygen (1 delta g) generated with fluoranthene in the gas phase. These conditions rigorously exclude the participation of superoxide anion. The standard diagnostic tests for singlet oxygen (enhanced effect in D2O and protection by NaN3) gave the anticipated results when the erythrocytes were treated with 1O2 generated in the gas phase. When the erythrocytes were irradiated in a buffer solution containing fluoranthene, the results of the diagnostic tests depended on the sensitizer concentration.     

CHEMISTRY OF SINGLET OXYGEN—48. ISOLATION and STRUCTURE OF THE PRIMARY PRODUCT OF PHOTOOXYGENATION OF 3,5-DI-t-BUTYL CATECHOL

The dye-sensitized photooxygenation of t -butyl substituted catechols has been investigated. The primary product from 3,5-di- t -butyl catechol has been isolated and shown to be a hydroperoxydienone by single crystal X-ray diffraction. The absence of sensitizer effects and the faster reaction rate in polar solvents suggest that the reaction proceeds with singlet oxygen as the primary oxygenating species. Charge-transfer or full electron-transfer from the catechol to singlet oxygen is probably involved. Substituent effects are in agreement with this mechanism. The products from thermal breakdown of the hydroperoxydienone are inconsistent with a Baeyer-Villiger mechanism.     

Investigation of photobleaching of hypocrellin B in non-polar organic solvent and in liposome suspension

Hypocrellin B (HB) is a natural pigment with a promising application in the photodynamic therapy (PDT) for anticancer treatment. The photobleaching of HB in non-polar organic solvents and in liposomes in aqueous solution were investigated by the measurements of absorption spectra, quenching experiments and determination of photoproducts. Control experiments indicated that the sensitizer, oxygen and light were all essential for the photobleaching of HB, which suggested that it was mainly self-sensitized photooxidation. The illumination of HB with visible light in aerobic non-polar solvent generated singlet oxygen efficiently [Phi(1O(2))=0.76] which then attacked the sensitizer HB with formation of an endoperoxide product. The endoperoxide of HB was unstable at room temperature and underwent predominantly loss of singlet oxygen with regeneration of parent HB. The singlet oxygen released from the endoperoxide of HB was detected with chemical trapping experiments. When HB was embedded in EPC liposomes, no endoperoxide product and no singlet oxygen release from the photobleaching process of HB were detected. The quenching experiments indicated that the singlet oxygen mechanism (type II) played an important role in the non-polar solvent and the free radical mechanism (type I) was predominant in liposomal aqueous solution for the photobleaching of HB.     

联苯在β-蒎烯光氧化中的电子中继

β-蒎烯的长时间单重态氧光氧化导致复杂的产物分布。二氰基蒽(DCA)敏化的电子转移光氧化使桃金娘烯醇的产率略有改善, 但是, 添加联苯作共敏化剂使产率几乎翻了一番。在向DCA的竞争性单电子转移中, 联苯超过了β-蒎烯。MNDO计算证实其原因是联苯的HOMO较高。联苯正离子游离基从β-蒎烯回收一个电子, 再生联苯和生成β-蒎烯正离子游离基, 它再与经基态氧与(DCA)^-之间电子转移而生成的超氧负离子(O^-~2)复合。     

Photodynamic Crosslinking of Proteins. III. Kinetics of the FMN- and Rose Bengal-sensitized Photooxidation and Intermolecular Crosslinking of Model Tyrosine-containing N-(2-Hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide Copolymers

As part of a study on the role of Tyr residues in the photosensitized intermolecular crosslinking of proteins, we have surveyed the kinetics of the rose bengal- and flavin mononucleotide (FMN)-sensitized photooxidation and crosslinking of a water-soluble N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide copolymer with attached 6-carbon side chains terminating in tyrosinamide groups (thus the -OH group of the Tyr is free, but both the amino and carboxyl groups are blocked, simulating the situation of a nonterminal Tyr in a protein). The intermolecular photodynamic crosslinking of the Tyr copolymer can result only from the formation of Tyr-Tyr (dityrosine) bonds, because the copolymer itself is not photooxidizable. Rose bengal, primarily a Type II (singlet oxygen) sensitizer, sensitized the rapid photooxidation of the Tyr residue in the Tyr copolymer only at high pH, where the Tyr phenolic group is ionized; crosslinking did not occur with rose bengal under any of the reaction conditions used. In contrast, FMN, which can sensitize by both Type I (free radical) and Type II processes, sensitized the photooxidation of the Tyr copolymer over the pH range 4-9.5. Also, significant photocrosslinking occurred, but only from pH 4 to 8, with a maximum rate at pH 6. Crosslinking required the presence of oxygen. Studies with inhibitors, D2O as solvent, catalase and superoxide dismutase indicated that the photooxidation and photocrosslinking of the Tyr copolymer with FMN at pH 6 were not mediated by singlet oxygen, superoxide or hydrogen peroxide. It appears that crosslinking involves the abstraction of an H atom from the Tyr phenolic group to give Tyr and FMN radicals. The Tyr radical in one Tyr copolymer can then react with a Tyr radical in another Tyr copolymer to give an intermolecular dityrosine crosslink.     

Photooxygenation of tetramethylallene competing (2+2) cycloaddition and ene-reactions with singlet oxygen

TPP-sensitized photooxygenation of tetramethylallene (4) in carbon tetrachloride yields acetone (5), 2,4-dimethyl-4-hydroxy-1-penten-3-one (8) and 2,4-dimethyl-1,4-pentadien-3-one (9) in a ratio of 35:20:45, besides minor amounts of resinous products and carbon dioxide. Isomerization of 4 to 2,4-dimethyl-1,3-pentadiene (6) does not occur under the reaction conditions. DABCO quenches the photooxygenation, whereas 2,4,6-tri-t-butylphenol (10) enhances the oxygen consumption rate but leaves the ratio of 5:8:9 unchanged. These results indicate that 4 is oxygenated by singlet oxygen. A mechanism is proposed according to which acetone is generated via a (2+2) cycloaddition whereas 8 and 9 are formed via an ene-reaction between 4 and singlet oxygen.     

Photosensitized DNA damage and its protection via a novel mechanism

UVA, which accounts for approximately 95% of solar UV radiation, can cause mutations and skin cancer. Based mainly on the results of our study, this paper summarizes the mechanisms of UVA-induced DNA damage in the presence of various photosensitizers, and also proposes a new mechanism for its chemoprevention. UVA radiation induces DNA damage at the 5'-G of 5'-GG-3' sequence in double-stranded DNA through Type I mechanism, which involves electron transfer from guanine to activated photosensitizers. Endogenous sensitizers such as riboflavin and pterin derivatives and an exogenous sensitizer nalidixic acid mediate DNA photodamage via this mechanism. The major Type II mechanism involves the generation of singlet oxygen from photoactivated sensitizers, including hematoporphyrin and a fluoroquinolone antibacterial lomefloxacin, resulting in damage to guanines without preference for consecutive guanines. UVA also produces superoxide anion radical by an electron transfer from photoexcited sensitizers to oxygen (minor Type II mechanism), and DNA damage is induced by reactive species generated through the interaction of hydrogen peroxide with metal ions. The involvement of these mechanisms in UVA carcinogenesis is discussed. In addition, we found that xanthone derivatives inhibited DNA damage caused by photoexcited riboflavin via the quenching of its excited triplet state. It is thus considered that naturally occurring quenchers including xanthone derivatives may act as novel chemopreventive agents against photocarcinogenesis.     

Synthesis, photophysical and photochemical properties of poly(oxyethylene)-substituted zinc phthalocyanines

The synthesis, photophysical and photochemical properties of the tetra- and octa-poly(oxyethylene)substituted zinc (II) phthalocyanines are reported for the first time. The new compounds have been characterized by elemental analysis, IR, 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy, electronic spectroscopy and mass spectra. General trends are described for photodegradation, singlet oxygen, triplet state and fluorescence quantum yields, and triplet and fluorescence lifetimes of these compounds in dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO). Photophysical and photochemical properties of phthalocyanine complexes are very useful for PDT applications. The effects of the substituents on the photophysical and photochemical parameters of the zinc(II) phthalocyanines (3a, 5a and 6a) are also reported. The singlet oxygen quantum yields (Phi(Delta)), which give an indication of the potential of the complexes as photosensitizers in applications where singlet oxygen is required (Type II mechanism) ranged from 0.60 to 0.72. Thus, these complexes show potential as Type II photosensitizers. The fluorescence of the complexes was quenched by benzoquinone (BQ).     

Luminescence and photocatalytic properties of a platinum(II)-quaterpyridine complex incorporated in Nafion membrane

The non-emissive platinum(II)-quaterpyridine complex shows strong photoluminescence at room temperature upon incorporation into Nafion membrane; this complex is stabilized toward photochemical decomposition in Nafion even in the presence of oxygen, and can be used as a sensitizer to generate singlet oxygen to oxidize alkenes.     

INCREASED QUANTUM YIELD OF PHOTOREDUCTION OF DYES (A CATALYTIC EFFECT)

Abstract— While studying the photoreduction of some dyes (D) by reducing agents (R), it was observed that the quantum yield of the photoreduction increases considerably upon addition of a third substance (C), whereas it is very small when the dye is photoreduced by C alone (catalytic effect), (see Table 1).
The system thionine (D), allylthiourea (R), and azulene (C) was investigated in detail using both flash photolysis and continuous illumination. On photolysis, thionine is converted into its photo-reduced form, leucothionine. Azulene reacts with the basic form of the thionine triplet ³ TH ⁺ to produce the semithionine radical. In the system thionine and azulene, most of these radicals revert back to thionine. When ATU (˜ 10^2- M ) is added to thionine and azulene (3 × 10^-4 M ), the semithionine radicals are reduced to leucothionine; the quantum yield of this reduction is considerably higher than in the system thionine and allylthiourea. Flash experiments demonstrate that allylthiourea does not react with the semithionine radicals.
At very high ATU concentrations (≥ 10^-1 M ), however, the primary reaction is between thionine triplet and allylthiourea; under these conditions the quantum yield is not influenced by azulene (3 × 10^-4 M ).