Red-emitting dyes with photophysical and photochemical properties controlled by pH

New unsymmetrical zinc azaphthalocyanines, bearing one substituted aniline as a peripheral substituent, were prepared by using a statistical condensation approach. Both fluorescence and singlet oxygen quantum yields were extremely low in DMF (Φ(F)<0.01, Φ(Δ)<0.02, respectively), but increased after the addition of sulfuric acid, reaching values comparable to controls without aniline substituents (Φ(F)=0.22-0.29, Φ(Δ)=0.40-0.59, respectively). This behavior was attributed to the deactivation of excited states by intramolecular charge transfer from a donor site (aniline), which was blocked after protonation in acidic media. In the protonated form, all of the compounds efficiently emitted light with λ(em) in the region of 662-675 nm. The investigated compounds were anchored to dioleoylphosphatidylcholine (DOPC) unilamellar vesicles and showed response to buffer pH. They were highly fluorescent at low pH values and almost nonfluorescent in neutral solutions. The pK(a) values were determined in DOPC vesicles and ranged between 2.2 and 4.2.     

Study on the optical properties of 4,4'-bis-(2-(substituted-styryl))biphenyl and 1,4-bis-(2-(substituted-styryl))benzene

The maximum absorption wavelengths (lambda(a-max)), absorption coefficient (epsilon), maximum emission wavelengths (lambda(e-max)), fluorescent quantum yields (phi(f)), and second-order nonlinear polarizations (beta(xxx)) of seventeen 4,4'-bis-(2-(substituted-styryl))biphenyl and three 1,4-bis-(2-(substituted-styryl))benzene were measured. The results showed that some of this series of compounds possess high fluorescent quantum yields in DMF, such as, 2 (0.801), 3 (0.680), 5 (0.565), 15 (0.538) 16 (0.848), 18 (2.175), 19 (1.314) and 20 (1.060), as compared with quinine-sulfuric acid. They could be used as fluorescent whiteners and fluorescent colorants. Some of these compounds were of a high beta(xxx) values, such as in DMSO, 2 (29.00/10(-30) m(5)c(-1)), 3 (25.29/10(-30) m(5)c(-1)), 8 (21.79/10(-30) m(5)c(-1)) and 9 (24.08/10(-30) m(5)c(-1)). Electron-withdrawing substituent NO(2), which is attached to the two terminal phenyl rings could cause lambda(a-max) obviously to be shorter, but it made lambda(e-max) change longer. Electron-donating substituent at two end benzene rings, such as OCH(3), N((CH(3))(2)), even Cl, could make lambda(a-max) and lambda(e-max) longer, and the larger the electron-donating ability of the substituent, the longer the lambda(a-max) and lambda(e-max). This influence of 4-position substituent on lambda(a-max) or lambda(e-max) is obviously larger than that of 2-position substituent, and the action of substituent on 2-position is larger than that of substituent on 3-position. The values of lambda(a-max) and lambda(e-max) of biphenyl compounds 2 or 3 were respectively close to these values of corresponding benzene compounds 18 or 19.     

Rational design, synthesis, and spectroscopic and photophysical properties of a visible-light-excitable, ratiometric, fluorescent near-neutral pH indicator based on BODIPY

A visible-light-excitable, ratiometric, brightly fluorescent pH indicator for measurements in the pH range 5-7 has been designed and synthesized by conjugatively linking the BODIPY fluorophore at the 3-position to the pH-sensitive ligand imidazole through an ethenyl bridge. The probe is available as cell membrane permeable methyl ester 8-(4-carbomethoxyphenyl)-4,4-difluoro-3-[2-(1H-imidazol-4-yl)ethenyl]-1,5,7-trimethyl-3a,4a-diaza-4-bora-s-indacene (I) and corresponding water-soluble sodium carboxylate, sodium 8-(4-carboxylatophenyl)-4,4-difluoro-3-[2-(1H-imidazol-4-yl)ethenyl]-1,5,7-trimethyl-3a,4a-diaza-4-bora-s-indacene (II). The fluorescence quantum yield Φ(f) of ester I is very high (0.8-1.0) in the organic solvents tested. The fluorescence lifetime (ca. 4 ns) of I in organic solvents with varying polarity/polarizability (from cyclohexane to acetonitrile) is independent of the solvent with a fluorescence rate constant k(f) of 2.4×10(8) s(-1). Probe I is readily loaded in the cytosol of live cells, where its high fluorescence intensity remains nearly constant over an extended time period. Water-soluble indicator II exhibits two acid-base equilibria in aqueous solution, characterized by pK(a) values of 6.0 and 12.6. The Φ(f) value of II in aqueous solution is high: 0.6 for the cationic and anionic forms of the imidazole ligand, and 0.8 for neutral imidazole. On protonation-deprotonation in the near-neutral pH range, UV/Vis absorption and fluorescence spectral shifts along with isosbestic and pseudo-isoemissive points are observed. This dual-excitation and dual-emission pH indicator emits intense green-yellow fluorescence at lower pH and intense orange fluorescence at higher pH. The influence of ionic strength and buffer concentration on the absorbance and steady-state fluorescence of II has also been investigated. The apparent pK(a) of the near-neutral acid-base equilibrium determined by spectrophotometric and fluorometric titration is nearly independent of the added buffer and salt concentration. In aqueous solution in the absence of buffer and in the pH range 5.20-7.45, dual exponential fluorescence decays are obtained with decay time τ(1)=4.3 ns for the cationic and τ(2)=3.3 ns for the neutral form of II. The excited-state proton exchange of II at near-neutral pH becomes reversible on addition of phosphate (H(2)PO(4)(-)/HPO(4)(2-)) buffer, and a pH-dependent change of the fluorescence decay times is induced. Global compartmental analysis of fluorescence decay traces collected as a function of pH and phosphate buffer concentration was used to recover values of the deactivation rate constants of the excited cationic (k(01)=2.4×10(8) s(-1)) and neutral (k(02)=3.0×10(8) s(-1)) forms of II.     

Functionalization of mesoporous silica membrane with a Schiff base fluorophore for Cu(II) ion sensing

A Schiff base (SB) immobilized hybrid mesoporous silica membrane (SB-HMM) was prepared by immobilizing a Schiff base onto the pore surface of mesoporous silica (pore size=3.1 nm) embedded in the pores of a porous anodic alumina membrane. In contrast to the non-fluorescent analogous SB molecule in homogeneous solutions, SB-HMM exhibited intense fluorescence due to emission enhancement caused by aggregation of SB groups on the pore surface. The high quantum efficiency of the surface SB groups allows SB-HMM to function as a fluorescent sensor for Cu(II) ions in an aqueous solution with good sensitivity, selectivity and reproducibility. Under the optimal conditions described, the linear ranges of fluorescence intensity for Cu(II) are 1.2-13.8(M (R(2)=0.993) and 19.4-60 (R(2)=0.992) (M. The limit of detection for Cu(II) is 0.8 μM on basis of the definition by IUPAC (C(LOD)=3.3S(b)/m).     

Specific binding effects for cucurbit[8]uril in 2,4,6-triphenylpyrylium-cucurbit[8]uril host-guest complexes: observation of room-temperature phosphorescence and their application in electroluminescence

2,4,6-Triphenylpyrylium (TP(+)) forms host-guest complexes with cucurbiturils (CBs) in acidic aqueous solutions. (1)H NMR spectroscopic data indicates that complexation takes place by encapsulation of the phenyl ring at the four position within CB. Formation of the complex with CB[6] and CB[7] leads to minor shifts in the fluorescence wavelength maximum (lambda(fl)) or quantum yield (Phi(fl)). In sharp contrast, for complexes with CB[8], the emission results in the simultaneous observation of fluorescence (lambda(fl)=480 nm, Phi(fl)=0.05) and room-temperature phosphorescence (lambda(ph)=590 nm, Phi(ph)=0.15). The occurrence of room-temperature phosphorescence can be used to detect the presence of CB[8] visually in solution. Molecular modeling and MM2 molecular mechanics calculations suggest that this effect arises from locking the conformational mobility of the 2- and 6-phenyl rings as a result of CB[8] encapsulation. The remarkably high room-temperature phosphorescence quantum yield of the TP(+)@CB[8] complex has been advantageously applied to develop an electroluminescent cell that contains this host-guest complex. In contrast, analogous cells prepared with TP(+) or TP(+)@CB[7] fail to exhibit electroluminescence.     

Spectrofluorimetic determination of cysteine based on the fluorescence inhibition of Cd(II)-8-hydroxyquinoline-5-sulphonic acid complex by cysteine

A spectrofluorimetric method for the determination of cysteine at trace and ultra trace levels (0-1.82 x 10(-5) mol l(-1)) has been developed. It is based on the efficient inhibition action of cysteine on the fluorescent system of Cd(II)-8-hydroxyquinoline-5-sulphonic acid complex (Cd(II)-HQS) (lambda(ex) 364.8 nm, lambda(em) 510.4 nm) solution at pH 8.5. The method has been applied to protein hydrolysate and cystine electrolyte samples.     

Synthesis of a novel fluorescent probe and investigation on its interaction with nucleic acid and analytical application

A novel fluorescent probe N-(N-(2-(4-morpholinyl)ethyl)-4-acridinecarboxamide)-alpha-alanine (N-(N-(ME)-4-ACA)-alpha-ALA) was synthesized. The structure was characterized by 1H NMR, MS, elemental analysis, fluorescent and ultraviolet spectra. This new compound exhibited high binding affinity to DNA, intense fluorescence and high water solubility. Experiment indicated that the fluorescent intensity was quenched when DNA was added. A method for DNA determination based on the quenching fluorescence (lambda(ex)=258nm, lambda(em)=451nm) of N-(N-(ME)-4-ACA)-alpha-ALA was established. Under optimal conditions (pH 7.2, CN-(N-(ME)-4-ACA)-alpha-ALA)=3 x 10(-6) mol L(-1)), the linear range is 0.1-4.0 microg mL(-1) for both fish semen (fsDNA) and calf thymus DNA (ct-DNA). The corresponding determination limits are 4.6 ng mL(-1) for fsDNA and 5.1 ng mL(-1) for ct-DNA, respectively. The relative standard deviation is 1.0%. Thus this compound can be used as a DNA fluorescent probe. The experiments proved that the interaction mode between N-(N-(ME)-4-ACA)-alpha-ALA and DNA was groove binding. The modified Rosenthal's graphical method gave the binding constant of 1.0 x 10(6) L mol(-1) and a binding size of 0.31 base pairs per bound drug molecule.     

Porphyrin, phthalocyanine and porphyrazine derivatives with multifluorenyl substituents as efficient deep-red emitters

The synthesis and photophysical properties are described for a series of porphyrin, phthalocyanine and pyrazinoporphyrazine derivatives which bear four or eight peripheral fluorenyl substituents as antennae. Representative examples are 5,10,15,20-tetra(9,9-dihexyl-9H-fluoren-2-yl)porphyrin (2), 5,10,15,20-tetrakis[4-(9,9-dihexyl-9H-fluoren-2-yl)phenyl]porphyrin (3), 2,3,9,10,16,17,23,24-octakis(9,9-dihexyl-9H-fluoren-2-yl)-29H,31H-phthalocyanine (8) and 2,3,9,10,16,17,23,24-octakis[4-(9,9-dihexyl-9H-fluoren-2-yl)phenyl]-29H,31H-tetrapyrazinoporphyrazine (9). Palladium-mediated Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reactions have been key steps for attaching the substituents. The compounds are deep-red emitters: lambda(max)(em)=659 (3), 737 (8) and 684 nm (9). Their absorption and emission spectra, their fluorescence lifetimes and quantum yields are correlated with the structures of the macrocycles and the substituents. The solution fluorescence quantum yields of porphyrin derivatives substituted with fluorene (2-4) and terphenyl substituents (7) (Phi(f)=0.21-0.23) are approximately twice that of tetraphenylporphyrin. For phthalocyanine derivative 8, Phi(f) was very high (0.88). Specific excitation of the fluorene units of 8 produced emission from both of them (lambda(max)=480 nm) and also from the phthalocyanine core (lambda(max)=750 nm), indicating a competitive rate of energy transfer and radiative decay of the fluorenes. Organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs) were made by spin-coating techniques by using a polyspirobifluorene (PSBF) copolymer as the host blended with 3 (5 wt. %) in the configuration ITO/PEDOT:PSS/PSBF copolymer:3/Ca/Al. Deep-red emission (lambda(max)=663 nm; CIE coordinates x=0.70, y=0.27) was observed with an external quantum efficiency of 2.5 % (photons/electron) (at 7.5 mA cm(-2)), a low turn-on voltage and high emission intensity (luminance) of 5500 cd m(-2) (at 250 mA/ m(2)).     

Catalysis of aldehyde and imine silylcyanation by platinum and palladium NCN-pincer complexes

The room temperature addition of trimethylsilylcyanide to aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes to give the corresponding cyanohydrins is efficiently catalysed by 1 mol% of ((2,6-bis(N-cyclohexyl)imino)phenyl)aquoplatinum(II) trifluoromethanesulfonate 1a. This methodology is also applicable to the addition of trimethylsilylcyanide to Schiff bases resulting in the formation of α-amino nitriles.     

Fluorescent pH nanosensors: Design strategies and applications

Accurate measuring of pH is of great significance for various research areas ranging from environmental to chemical and biological sciences. In the past decades, there has been growing interest in the use of nanoparticles (NPs) for pH measurement, especially for intracellular pH sensing and imaging. In this regard, a number of different NP-based fluorescent pH sensors have been developed, which can be classified into three major categories including (I) fluorescent NPs with direct or indirect responses to pH, (II) nonfluorescent NPs that are used only as scaffold and carriers for pH-sensitive fluorescent dyes, and (III) nonfluorescent NPs whose pH-responsive structural change is converted into the fluorescence signal of their conjugated dyes. This review is a complete coverage of all NPs used so far for fluorescence pH sensing. The authors of this review invite readers to find all design strategies for employing semiconductor quantum dot, nanoclusters, carbon-based dots, polymer dots, upconversion NPs, fluorescent metal-organic frameworks, metallic NPs, silica NPs, polymer NPs, micellar NPs, nanogels, and protein NPs for this purpose.     

Reverse flow-injection manifold for spectrofluorimetric determination of aluminum in drinking water

A simple reverse flow-injection (rFIA) manifold for the direct determination of aluminum in drinking water is proposed. This rapid and sensitive method is based on the formation of an Al(3+) complex with salicylaldehyde picolinoylhydrazone (SAPH), which shows a maximum blue-green fluorescence (lambda(ex)=384 nm, lambda(em)= 468 nm) at pH 5.4. Operative conditions both for batch and rFIA procedures were investigated including reagent concentration, buffer solutions, injection loop, reacting coil and wavelengths used for the fluorimetric detection. The tolerance limits of foreign ions have been also evaluated, before and after the addition of masking agents. The reverse flow-injection procedure allows determination of Al(3+) at ppb level (LOD: 1.9 mug l(-1)) within a working range of 5-30 mug l(-1). The proposed method was successfully employed for the determination of Al(3+) in several commercial drinking, soft drinking (as certified reference material), and tap water samples.     

Novel fluorescent pH sensor based on 5-(4-carboxy-phenyl)-10,15,20-tris(phenyl)-porphyrin

A novel fluorescent pH sensor based on 5-(4-carboxy-phenyl)-10,15,20-tris(phenyl)-porphyrin, as sensing agent, has been developed. The carboxyl functionalized asymmetric porphyrin has been synthesized and characterized by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), thin layer chromatography (TLC), proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H NMR), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis), emission, excitation and mass spectrometry (MS) spectra. Optical and fluorescence behaviors were investigated in relationship with variation of acid concentration in the range of acid pH from 1.5 to 5.5. Upon increasing the acidity of the solution, the decrease of the fluorescence intensity was noticed, as a linear function of pH. Different metal ions were tested to put into evidence the changes regarding the fluorescence intensity, but the fluorescence obtained results revealed no significant interference on pH determination. The conclusion is that the proposed fluorescent sensor can measure pH in acid range in the presence of different metal ions making this sensor a proper one for pH determinations in leaching solutions of the recyclable processes of valuable metals.     

Antioxidative Effect of Schiff Bases with o-Hydroxybenzylidene Groupon Free Radical Induced Hemolysis of Human Red Blood Cell

IntroductionThe recent development of free radical biologyand medicine has provided a great deal of clinicaland experimental evidence indicating that the freeradical induced peroxidation of membrane lipids isassociated with a variety of chronic healthproblems,such as cancer,atherosclerosis andageing[1,2 ] . Both natural and synthetic antioxidantshave been used to trap peroxyl radicals and/orinitiating radicals to protect the membrane lipidsagainst free radical chain reactions,and hence mayhave…     

Fluorimetric determination of salsalate in urine, serum and pharmaceutical preparations

A method for the determination of salsalate at concentrations between 0.10 and 1.00 mug ml(-1) by means of fluorescence spectrometry technique is proposed. Salsalate, lightly soluble in water, is totally extracted into chloroform. In this organic phase, the drug shows low fluorescence but when an alkaline medium is provided, salsalate undergoes a substantial increase of the fluorescent intensity. Thus, the determination is performed in a chloroformic medium, where pyrrolidine chloroformic solution is added to give the basic character. The fluorescence measurements to quantify salsalate are carried out in its fluorescent band centered at lambda(ex)=299 nm and lambda(em)=410 nm. The method was successfully applied to the determination of salsalate in authentic pharmaceutical preparations, urine and serum. Samples of these latter two matrices, urine and serum, are extracted into chloroform, using in the aqueous phase a pH 4.8, provided by adding acetic acid/sodium acetate buffer solution. Owing to matrix interference, the method of standard additions was used to determine salsalate in the serum. The sensitivity and repeatability achieved with the proposed method are adequate for the determination of salsalate in these matrices.     

pH-Sensitive Polymer Matrix with Immobilized Indicator Ion Pairs

IntroductionSince the firstfiberoptic p H sensor was devel-oped by Peterson etc.[1] for in vivo measurements,many optical fiber p H sensors have been describedfor different p H ranges.Optical sensors for p H areusually obtained by immobilizing a p H indicator ona solid support for monitoring the optical proper-ties. The solid supports include ion exchang-ers[2— 4 ] ,cellulose membranes[5— 11] ,porousglass[12 ,13 ] ,polyacrylamide[1,14 ,15] ,polypyrrole[16] ,sol- gel glass[17— 19] ,styrene…     

Fluorescent pH Indicator. Spectral Changes of 4-Methylumbelliferone

Abstract

4-Methylumbelliferone is a useful acid-base fluorescent indicator with a midpoint of its transition interval at pH 7.6. Both anionic and neutral forms fluoresce in the blue with high quantum yield (70%). The indicator properties are based on a blue shift of the absorption spectrum in acid. Depending on the excitation wavelength employed, one has the option of following either an increase or a decrease in fluorescence as the pH changes.     

响应范围可调的pH荧光传感器的构建及其性能研究

合成并表征了化合物N,N'-二谷氨酸铵盐-3,4,9,10-苝四羧酸二酰亚胺(PTCDG).此化合物水溶性好,荧光量子产率高.基于此,设计了一组新颖的响应范围可调的pH荧光传感器.PTCDG与顺磁性的Fe3+可按1∶1络合,络合常数为6.5×105,考察了其它金属离子的影响,表明PTCDG对Fe3+有良好的选择性.PTCDG与Fe3+结合后,由于PET效应,荧光猝灭,伴随pH值增大,Fe3+与OH-形成Fe(OH)3,从体系中沉淀出来,荧光团被释放,从而荧光恢复.在不同的Fe3+的良好配体存在条件下,形成Fe(OH)3的pH范围向碱性方向移动.PTCDG,PTCDG/Fe3+,PTCDG/Fe3+/三乙胺,PTCDG/Fe3+/吡啶、PTCDG/Fe3+/邻菲罗啉的响应范围分别为4.0～6.0,5.0～10,5.0～7.0,6.0～8.0和7.0～9.0,涵盖了pH值4.0～10的区间,实现了响应范围的可调.考察了内在的干扰物对该传感器的效能的影响,探讨了此体系的荧光传感机理.此传感器具有很多优异的性能,响应的范围可调且近中性,荧光和颜色变化明显,响应快,具有较高的灵敏性.     

Fluorescent high-performance liquid chromatographic analysis of vigabatrin enantiomers after derivatizing with naproxen acyl chloride

Vigabatrin is widely used as an anticonvulsant in the treatment of seizures. Vigabatrin is usually supplied as racemate in formulation, but only the (S)-(+)-enantiomer of vigabatrin is pharmacologically active. A simple and sensitive liquid chromatographic method is described for the separation and quantification of vigabatrin enantiomers. The method is based on derivatizing racemic vigabatrin with a fluorescent chiral reagent (naproxen acyl chloride). The resulting diastereomeric derivatives are highly responsive to a fluorimetric detector (lambda(ex)=230 nm, lambda(em)=350 nm). The lower quantitation limit of the method is attainable at 25 nM for (S)-(+)-vigabatrin or (R)-(-)-vigabatrin with a detection limit of about 2.5 nM (S/N=3 with 10 microl injected). Application of the method to the analysis of vigabatrin in serum of dosed patients proved feasible.     

ABSORPTION AND PHOTOCHEMISTRY OF SENSORY RHODOPSIN—I: pH EFFECTS

Pyranine (8-hydroxyl-1,3,6-pyrene-trisulfonate) was used as a pH-probe to test whether there is a light-induced proton release to the bulk phase during the photochemical reaction cycle of sensory rhodopsin-I (SR-I). We conclude that the retinylidene Schiff-base proton is retained by SR-I-containing envelope vesicles during the SR-I photocycle under the conditions described here. Bacteriorhodopsin containing vesicles were used as a control to show that light-induced proton release can be observed under identical data acquisition parameters as those used for SR-I-containing vesicles. In addition, the effects of extravesicular pH on the absorption maximum (lambda max) and the SR-I photocycle were studied. SR-I properties are insensitive to pH in the range approximately 3 to approximately 8 with lambda max remaining at 587 nm. The lambda max shifts to 565 nm below pH 3.0 and to 552 nm at pH 10.8 with an apparent pKa of 8.5. Flash-induced absorbance changes of SR-I are described under neutral, alkaline and acidic conditions. The neutral, alkaline and acid SR-I forms each undergo similar photoreactions producing long-lived (> 500 ms decay half-time) blue-shifted intermediates. The UV/near-UV absorption of the photoproducts from neutral and alkaline SR-I indicate a deprotonated Schiff base, whereas acid SR-I produces a species with lambda max > 460 nm indicative of a protonated Schiff base.     

Synthesis, spectral characterization and biological activity of zinc(II) complexes with 3-substituted phenyl-4-amino-5-hydrazino-1, 2, 4-triazole Schiff bases

New Zn(II) complexes have been synthesized by the reactions of zinc(II) acetate with Schiff bases derived from 3-substituted phenyl-4-amino-5-hydrazino-1, 2, 4-triazole and benzaldehyde, 2-hydroxyacetophenone or indoline-2,3-dione. All these complexes are soluble in DMF and DMSO; low molar conductance values indicate that they are non-electrolytes. Elemental analyses suggest that the complexes have 1:1 stoichiometry of the type [ZnL(H(2)O)(2)], [ZnL'(OAc)(2)(H(2)O)(2)] (L=dianionic Schiff bases derived from 3-(substituted phenyl)-4-amino-5-hydrazino-1, 2, 4-triazole and 2-hydroxyacetophenone or indoline-2,3-dione; L'=neutral Schiff bases derived from 3-(substituted phenyl)-4-amino-5-hydrazino-1, 2, 4-triazole and benzaldehyde) and they were characterized by FT-IR, (1)H NMR, (13)C NMR and FAB mass. All these Schiff bases and their complexes have also been screened for their antibacterial activities against Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli and antifungal activities against Colletotrichum falcatum, Aspergillus niger, Fusarium oxysporium and Carvularia pallescence by petriplates methods.