OXYGEN QUENCHING IN MICELLAR SOLUTION AND ITS EFFECT ON THE PHOTOCYCLIZATION OF N-METHYLDIPHENYLAMINE

Abstract— Oxygen effects on the photocyclization of N-methyldiphenylamine to N-methylcarbazole were investigated in n-hexane, water, and aqueous surfactant solutions by steady state irradiations and flash photolysis measurements. The reaction sequence in micelles was found to involve the same intermediate steps as in homogeneous solutions. In aerated micellar solutions, the quantum yield of N-methylcarbazole is significantly higher than in n-hexane, while the rate constants of the unimolecular reaction steps show no solvent dependence. The bimolecular dehydrogenation of the intermediate 4a, 4b-dihydro-N-methylcarbazole by oxygen is enhanced in aqueous and micellar solutions, whereas the quenching rate of triplet intermediates by oxygen was not affected. The lesuhs are interpreted using a dispersed phase model of micellar solutions. Special 'micellar effects' need not be invoked since the dependence of the quantum yield on the solvent is shown to be due to the difference in the overall oxygen concentration.     

TRANSIENT SPECIES IN THE PHOTOCHEMISTRY OF EOSIN*

Abstract— Photochemical reactions of eosin in aqueous solution were studied using the flash photolysis technique. In deaerated solution the dye was converted quantitatively to the triplet state during flashing. The triplet dye decayed by first and second order reactions which partly regenerated the dye in the ground state and partly produced semioxidized and semireduced eosin. These radical species were formed in an electron dismutation reaction between two triplet molecules and also in a reaction between one triplet and one unexcited molecule. The radicals recombine rapidly to give the dye in the ground state.
An efficient reversible photooxidation reaction was observed in eosin solutions containing potassium ferricyanide. Semioxidized eosin was formed in high yield by reaction between the triplet dye and the oxidant. The dye was regenerated rapidly in a reverse reaction between the products of the oxidation reaction.
An analogous type of reaction was found to occur in eosin solutions containing p -pheny-lene diamine. This reagent reduced the triplet dye to semireduced eosin; the dye was regenerated in the ground state in a very efficient reverse reaction. The protolytic behaviour of semireduced eosin was studied by varying the pH.
Absorption spectra of the transient products were determined and rate constants for the observed reactions were measured. The results are compared with results from previous studies of fluorescein.     

STUDIES ON FLAVINS IN ORGANIC SOLVENTS—II*. PHOTODECOMPOSITION OF RIBOFLAVIN IN THE PRESENCE OF OXYGEN

Abstract— The photodegradation of riboflavin by 436 mμ monochromatic light and of lumichrome by white nonfiltered light was studied in a set of organic solvents including ethanol, acetone, dioxane, pyridine and acetic acid. For comparison, water was used as a solvent. Photolysis was carried out in the presence of atmospheric oxygen. Riboflavin and lumichrome were found to be effectively stabilized towards the action of light by hydrogen bonds with solvent molecules, and consequently are most light-stable in water solutions. The overall scheme of riboflavin photolysis in organic solvents seems to be the same as in aqueous solutions. Lumichrome has been found as the main product of riboflavin photolysis in the organic solvents tested.     

THE MECHANISM OF THE FLAVIN SENSITIZED PHOTODESTRUCTION OF INDOLEACETIC ACID*

Abstract— A detailed in vitro study was made of the flavin sensitized photoinactivation of indoleacetic acid, using primarily riboflavin as sensitizer. The dependence of the quantum yield on reactant concentrations, pH, presence of oxygen, viscosity, temperature, KI concentration, and solvent was determined. The involvement of a limiting dark reaction was demonstrated, using an intermittent light technique. The results are consistent with a mechanism involving a metastable state of riboflavin as the photochemically reactive species. The calculated rate constant for intersystem crossing to this state was found to be 2.5 times 10⁸/sec. Riboflavin, in the metastable state, is believed to oxidize indoleacetic acid to indolealdehyde, with subsequent recovery of riboflavin by autoxidation. The maximum quantum yield of the photoinactivation of IAA is 0.71, indicating a highly efficient process, approaching 100% when energy loss due to riboflavin fluorescence is taken into account. Both carotenoids and pure chlorophyll- a were found to be inactive as sensitizers.     

THE PHOTOCHEMISTRY OF RIBOFLAVIN—VI. THE PHOTOPHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF ISOALLOXAZINES

Abstract— Many of the photophysical properties of riboflavin and several other N-10 substituted isoal-loxazines have been measured and these include: quantum yields of fluorescence at 77 K and 298 K, φ, quantum yields of phosphorescence at 77 K, φ_P, lifetimes of the triplet state by electron spin resonance and phosphorescence at 77 K, φp,. and the quantum yield of intersystem crossing. φ_isc. For riboflavin in an alcoholic matrix at 77 K the limiting values were: φ _J = 0.32, φ_P= 0.007, φp = 0.20s and φ_isc= 0.7. At 298 K, φ _f for riboflavin in water and alcohol were 0.25 and 0.32, respectively. The results for the photophysical processes are compared with several photochemical processes known to involve the triplet state of riboflavin in aqueous solution. It is concluded that the φ _isc decreases from 0.7 in alcohol to 0.6 in water at 298 K.     

KINETICS OF THE ULTRAVIOLET-INDUCED DIMERIZATION OF THYMINE IN FROZEN SOLUTIONS*

Abstract— It is known that thymine forms dimers when aqueous solutions are irradiated with ultraviolet light while in the frozen state, but does not form dimers when solutions are irradiated in the liquid state. The eutectic point of aqueous thymine solutions was found to be. —0.02°C. Since the irradiation of frozen solutions is always carried out at lower temperatures, the dimerization must be occurring in the solid state. Activation energies and quantum yields for dimer formation were determined by irradiating 1–mm layers of thymine solution at —5°C to — 707deg;C for various lengths of time. As expected, the activation energy was zero. After measuring the amount of radiation scattered by samples of ice, the extreme values for the quantum yield were found to be 0.73 and 4.08. The lower limit assumed that all the scattered light was absorbed by thymine; the upper limit assumed that none was absorbed. Since the theoretical maximum quantum yield is 2, the best estimate of the quantum yield is considered to be between 1 and 2.     

The salt effect on riboflavin-photosensitized substitution of the sulfo group for bromine in 1-bromo-2-hydroxynaphthalene

It was shown that the substitution reaction of the sulfo group for bromine in 1-bromo-2-hydroxynaphthalene photosensitized with riboflavin occurred via the riboflavin triplet state. Electron-donor anions quench the fluorescence of riboflavin. Halide (iodide and bromide) ions increase the quantum yield of the substitution reaction at low concentrations because of an increase in the spin-orbital coupling in the radical ion pair generated in riboflavin fluorescence quenching. As a result of the spin-orbital conversion, the triplet-state radical ion pair is formed, which separates into the riboflavin radical anion and the halogen atom. The halogen atom is reduced by the sulfite ions with the simultaneous formation of the sulfite radical anions, which participate in the propagation of the substitution reaction chain. All salts increase the quantum yield of the substitution reaction at high concentrations (>0.5 mol l^?1).     

THE ANAEROBIC PHOTOLYSIS OF LENS α-CRYSTALLIN: EVIDENCE FOR TRIPLET STATE MEDIATED PHOTODAMAGE

Anaerobic solutions of lens alpha-crystallin were subjected to near-UV (greater than 295 nm) irradiation, and the photoproducts were analyzed by fluorescence and room-temperature phosphorescence spectroscopy. The principal photoproduct was excited maximally at 340 nm, fluoresced maximally at 430 nm, and phosphoresced with an emission maximum at 510 nm. The phosphorescence intensity decay of this species was well fit by a sum of two exponentials with lifetimes of 9.2 ms (78%) and 61 ms (22%); this report is the first demonstration of a long-lived triplet state associated with a protein photolysis product. As reported previously, 3trp* is also long-lived in deoxygenated alpha-crystallin solution at room-temperature (Berger and Vanderkooi, 1989, Biochemistry 28, 5501-5508), hence both tryptophan and photoproduct triplet states are good candidates to mediate photodamage. Photolysis experiments in the presence of agents known to alter the tryptophan triplet yield provide evidence for the importance of triplet-state-mediated photodamage of lens crystallins in anaerobic solution. In 30 mM acrylamide where 3trp*, but not 1trp*, is efficiently quenched, anaerobic solutions exhibited marked resistance to protein photodamage, whereas the photoprotection in aerobic solution was minimal. In D2O, where photoionization is suppressed but triplet states are longer-lived, photodamage was accelerated in anaerobic solution but reduced in aerobic solutions. Finally, the anaerobic photodestruction rate was increased in 500 mM Cs+ solution where the triplet yield is increased by a heavy atom effect.     

THE EFFECT OF pH ON THE AEROBIC and ANAEROBIC PHOTOLYSIS OF TRYPTOPHAN AND SOME TRYPTOPHAN-CONTAINING DIPEPTIDES

Abstract— Rates of photolysis, quantum yields of fluorescence, and fluorescence emission maxima for the dipeptides glycyltryptophan (Gly-Trp) and tryptophylglycine (Trp-Gly) and for free tryptophan (Trp) were determined under both degassed and aerated conditions in the pH range 4.5-10.0. The photolyses were performed at 25°C using 290 nm radiation from a 1000 W xenon lamp. Photolysis rates were determined by monitoring tryptophan fluorescence loss with time. It was found that Trp-Gly and free Trp showed similar behavior in that their fluorescence quantum yields and photolysis rates increased significantly above neutral pH. In contrast, the Gly-Trp fluorescence yield was smaller than that of Trp or Trp-Gly, showing no significant increase at high pH and the photolysis rate for Gly-Trp decreased with increasing pH. In comparing aerated to degassed samples, it was found that degassing had a far greater effect on the photolysis rates of Trp and Trp-Gly than on the photolysis rate of Gly-Trp especially at higher pH. But, degassing did not change the relative fluorescence quantum yields or fluorescence emission maxima of any of the three compounds. Possible mechanisms for photolysis under various experimental conditions were examined in light of the data.     

Photochemical degradation of flavins. IV. Studies of the anaerobic photolysis of riboflavin

Abstract A variety of substances which quench the fluorescence of riboflavin decrease the rate of anaerobic photobleaching (photolysis) of the flavin at concentrations which have little effect on the fluorescence. A semi-quantitative estimate of the yield of various products of photolysis using thin layer chromatography and autoradiography with C¹⁴-labelled riboflavin shows that at least ten radioactive products are formed. Whereas the yield of most of these is decreased by low concentrations of quenchers, such as phenol, some are decreased only at quencher concentrations high enough to decrease the fluorescence significantly. The effects of quenchers on the phosphorescence and ESR signal induced by light were also observed. It is concluded that lumichrome arises, in part, from degradation of the excited singlet state, but that 9-formylmethylflavin and other products arise through the triplet state. A major product of anaerobic photolysis is a substance moving just ahead of riboflavin on chromatograms and which, like 9-formylmethylflavin, is destroyed by treatment with sodium hydroxide. Effects of varying the nature of the solvent, the flavin structure and the pH are reported, and the kinetics of processes involved in the primary photochemical acts and in quenching are discussed.     

Effect of phosphate buffer on photodegradation reactions of riboflavin in aqueous solution

The effect of phosphate buffer on aerobic photodegradation reactions of riboflavin (RF) at pH 7.0 has been studied. The photoproducts of the two major reactions, viz., intramolecular photoreduction and intramolecular photoaddition, have been determined by a specific multicomponent spectrophotometric method. The overall photodegradation of riboflavin in the presence of phosphate buffer involves the participation of both H2PO4-and HPO4(2-) species. The second-order rate constants for the H2PO4(-)-catalysed photodegradation of riboflavin (normal photolysis) to lumichrome (LC) and HPO4(2-)-catalysed photodegradation of riboflavin (photoaddition) to cyclodehydroriboflavin (CDRF) are 0.93 x 10(-4) and 4.0 x 10(-4) M(-1) s(-1), respectively. The addition of 0.25-2.00 M phosphate to RF solutions at pH 7.0 gives rise to RF-HPO4(2-) complex and hence the quenching of 4-36% fluorescence, respectively. This results in the suppression of normal photolysis leading to the formation of LC in favour of photoaddition to yield CDRF. The present study shows the involvement of H2PO4- anions in the base-catalysed degradation of riboflavin by normal photolysis vis-a-vis the involvement of HPO42- anions in photoaddition reactions of riboflavin suggested earlier [M. Schuman Jorns, G. Schollnhammer, P. Hemmerich, Intramolecular addition of the riboflavin side chain. Anion-catalysed neutral photochemistry, Eur. J. Biochem. 57 (1975) 35-48].     

A FLASH PHOTOLYSIS STUDY OF THE TRIPLET STATE OF ACRIDINE ORANGE IN BASIC SOLVENTS

Abstract— Photochemical reactions of acridine orange (AO) in basic aqueous and ethanolic solutions were studied using the flash photolysis technique. The absorption spectrum of AO was determined in detail (230–900 nm) and extinction coefficients were obtained. The decay of the triplet state is the result of a first order process, a triplet-triplet annihilation process and a quenching by the dye in the ground state. The main part of the triplet decays to the ground state; however the observation of semi-reduced AO shows that the decay is partly due to chemical reactions.
An efficient reversible reaction is observed on flashing aqueous solutions of AO containing tetramethyl- p -phenylenediamine: semi-reduced AO is formed in high yield by reaction between the triplet dye and the diamine. In addition, irreversible reactions of AO occur; these are shown to be due to the triplet state by the method of triplet energy transfer.     

A study of photochemistry of flavins in pyridine and with a donor

Abstract— Both anaerobic and aerobic photolysis of riboflavin in pyridine yielded several photoproducts, analogous to the photochemical reaction in aqueous solution. Lumiflavin was also photoreduced in pyridine (an electron donor) without decomposition of the isoall-oxazine ring Differences in the reactivity of excited singlet and triplet states with respect to formation of photoproducts have been confirmed in pyridine. In the photoreduction of riboflavin by N, N'-dimethyl-N-benzylethylene diamine, an initial rate with a higher relative quantum yield than that of the reaction at a later stage was observed both in water and pyridine. Photolysis in D₂O with the donor showed no significant solvent isotope effect. These results strongly suggest that the photolysis of riboflavin in water does not involve the water molecule in the primary photochemical act. A detailed mechanism of flavin photoreaction in water to account for solvent oxygen incorporation into a photoproduct (benzaldehyde) from N, N'-dimethyl-N-benzylethylene diamine has been proposed without involving photochemical splitting of water based on our results and molecular orbital computations. Preliminary results on the kinetics of free radical decay were obtained using an ESR spectrometer and the significance of the results are discussed.     

PHOTOPHYSICAL and PHOTOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF COUMARIN DYES IN AMPHIPHILIC MEDIA

Abstract— Photophysical properties of coumarin dyes solubilized in aqueous detergent solutions have been investigated including measurement of absorption and fluorescence emission maxima, and fluorescence quantum yields. Use of coumarin 4 as a fluorescence probe of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) solutions led to the conclusion that the sites for dye incorporation in micelles are significantly hydrogen-bonded (hydrated). The inhibition of photochemical decomposition for detergent-solubilizcd dyes has also been observed. Electron transfer from micelle-bound dye to a water soluble acceptor, methyl viologen, has been investigated by flash photolysis.     

MAGNETIC FIELD EFFECT ON THE HYDROGEN ABSTRACTION OF ANTHRAQUINONES IN SDS MICELLAR SOLUTIONS

Abstract— The magnetic field effect (≤2600 G) on the hydrogen abstraction of three anthraquinones in SDS micellar solutions was studied by steady-state photolysis. The relative quantum yield of disappearance of quinones is significantly reduced (∽ 30%) in a magnetic field (2600 G). The observation was interpreted in terms of the radical pair model.     

THE PHOTOLYSIS RATES OF SOME DI- AND TRIPEPTIDES OF TRYPTOPHAN

We have measured the relative rates of photolysis of free tryptophan (trp), the dipeptides Gly-Trp, Trp-Gly, Leu-Trp, and Trp-Leu, and the tripeptides Gly-Trp-Gly and Leu-Trp-Leu. The photolyses were performed in neutral 0.1 mM aqueous solutions at 25°C using monochromatic 290 nm Xe arc radiation. Tryptophan loss was monitored by absorption, fluorescence and phosphorescence spectroscopy. The rate of tryptophan fluorescence loss was found to be different in the di-and tripeptides than in tryptophan monomer. These rate differences depended on both the identity of the neighboring amino acid (gly or leu) and on the nature of the linkage, e.g., the rate of Gly-Trp photolysis was more than 10 times greater than the rate of Trp-Gly photolysis. Degassing was found to markedly reduce (factor of 8) the photolysis rates of Trp, Trp-Gly, and Trp-Leu, but degassing only slightly reduced (less than a factor of 2) the photolysis rates of the other di-and tri-peptides. Photochemical product structures were not determined, but absorption and fluorescence spectra were obtained and products could be inferred in some cases by comparison with data of previous workers. The products appeared to differ greatly among the various peptides studied; Trp, Trp-Gly, and Trp-Leu gave oxidation products, while Gly-Trp and Leu-Trp apparently gave ring closure products, not requiring oxygen.     

A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE PHOTOCHEMISTRY OF THE NON-STEROIDAL ANTI-INFLAMMATORY DRUGS, NAPROXEN, BENOXAPROFEN AND INDOMETHACIN

Abstract— The photochemical reactivity of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, naproxen and indomethacin, has been studied and compared with benoxaprofen, a similar compound of known cutaneous phototoxicity. Although indomethacin shows some phosphorescence at 77 K, flash photolysis at room temperature revealed only a weak photoionization process, and no photochemical reactivity was detected in steady state photolysis. Naproxen has strong fluorescence and phosphorescence, and in laser flash photolysis showed photoionization and a triplet state species in approximately equal yield. Naproxen and benoxaprofen produced singlet oxygen with similar quantum yield, as deduced from the sensitized rates of photooxidation of 2,5-dimethylfuran. Naproxen underwent photodecarboxylation as detected by ESR-spin trap experiments with 2-methyl-2-nitrosopropane. The decarboxy-naproxen radical combined readily with oxygen in aerated solution, and l-(6-methoxy-2-napthyl)ethanol and 2-acetyl-6-methoxynaphthalene were formed as the oxidation products. In deaer-ated solution, the major product was 2-ethyI-6-methoxynaphthalene, with the alcohol also formed. In comparison, benoxaprofen also underwent decarboxylation, with much higher quantum yield, but the decarboxy-benoxaprofen radical did not add oxygen. This difference in photoreactivity between naproxen and benoxaprofen, together with the much lower molar absorptivity of naproxen are the significant factors in relating to the differences in reported levels of clinical photosensitivity responses.     

The excited-state interaction of resazurin and resorufin with amines in aqueous solutions. Photophysics and photochemical reactions

The photophysics and photochemical behavior of the phenoxazin-3-one dyes, resazurin and resorufin, have been studied in aqueous solutions. The irradiation of resazurin in the presence of amines leads to deoxygenation of the N-oxide group, giving resorufin. This photoreaction is highly dependent on the amine structure and is efficient only in the presence of tertiary aliphatic amines. The absorption and fluorescence properties of these dyes are dependent on pH. At pH above 7.5 both dyes are in their anionic form. For resorufin this form is highly fluorescent (phiF = 0.75). At lower pH the fluorescence is strongly reduced. The N-oxide dye presents a very weak fluorescence quantum yield (0.11), which also is reduced at low pH. Flash photolysis experiments allowed characterization of the triplet state and the transients formed after irradiation of these dyes in the absence and presence of amines. The triplet quantum yields are 0.08 for resazurin and 0.04 for resorufin. The photodeoxygenation of N-oxide in the presence of amines occurs from the triplet state.     

THE REDUCTION AND QUENCHING OF PHOTOEXCITED FLAVINS BY EDTA

Riboflavin was irradiated anaerobically in aqueous EDTA solutions over the pH range 2.5–10. In other dye systems (Bonneau and Pereyre, 1975), only the trivalent anion of EDTA was found to have significant reactivity for photoreduction. For riboflavin, the reactivity begins with monoanionic EDTA, and the reactivity is markedly increased as the charge increases. This suggests that the charge on the reductant is more important to the electron transfer process for riboflavin than the formation of a nonhydrogen bonded nitrogen site on EDTA. At high concentrations of EDTA in the pH range 4–8, quenching of the photoreduction occurs, which can be explained by an energy transfer between the excited singlet state of riboflavin and trianionic EDTA, possibly as an association complex. The rate constants for the photoreduction of riboflavin by the monovalent, divalent, and trivalent anions of EDTA are 1.0 times 10⁷M^-1 s^-l, 4.8 times 10′M^-1 s^-l, and 2.0 times 10⁸M^-1s^-1, respectively. The rate constant for the singlet state quenching by trianionic EDTA is 3 times 10⁹M^-l s^-1, and the limiting quantum yield for intersystem crossing for riboflavin in aqueous solution is 0.50 ± 0.05.     

FLUOROMETRIC STUDY OF TRYPTOPHAN PHOTOLYSIS

Abstract— Measurements of fluorescence spectra and fluorescence intensity for tryptophan solutions at different pH show an effective decarboxylation and deamination of tryptophan molecules under UV irradiation. The nonexponential dose-relationship of decrease in total fluorescence of tryptophan solutions is due to the formation of the products retaining indole ring in the course of these reactions. Dose-relationships and quantum yields of indole ring photolysis, deamination and decarboxylation are determined for tryptophan at 254 nm irradiation. Indole ring destruction accounts for about 60% of the total photolysis of tryptophan. Decarboxylation of tryptophan is two times more effective than its deamination. In the absence of oxygen quantum yield of indole photolysis in tryptophan and in the products of decarboxylation and deamination is reduced by a factor of two and by approximately an order of magnitude, respectively. Tryptophan photolysis products which, when excited at 365 nm. fluoresce in the visible region are formed from an intermediate product of indole ring destruction.