氟硼二吡咯类pH荧光探针PET光谱特性的理论计算

氟硼二吡咯(BODIPY)类pH荧光探针分子是基于光诱导电子转移(PET)的荧光探针分子, 识别基团氮原子上引入不同取代基可呈现不同的光学灵敏度. 本文应用密度泛函理论(DFT)及含时密度泛函理论(TD-DFT)方法对六种含不同取代基的探针分子进行了几何构型优化及激发态计算, 探讨了不同取代基对PET效应影响. 计算结果表明: 基态时这些探针分子的最高占有分子轨道(HOMO)和最低未占有分子轨道(LUMO)都在荧光母体BODIPY的π, π^*轨道, 而识别基团上氮原子孤对电子所在的轨道为HOMO-1轨道. 但是在激发态, 当氮原子上有两个取代基时, HOMO-1→LUMO跃迁的激发能都小于荧光团的HOMO→LUMO跃迁, 这将有可能产生PET效应并导致荧光熄灭, 而当氮原子上有一个取代基时不会出现这种现象. 通过激发态结构优化可以发现, 无论识别基团氮原子上有一个还是两个取代基, N原子的轨道对称性都发生变化, 由sp³→sp², 孤对电子占据在p轨道上, 其轨道能级升高至荧光团的HOMO和LUMO轨道之间, 将导致不同程度的PET效应, 与实验结果一致.     

有机染料D-SS和D-ST用于染料敏化太阳能电池光敏剂的比较

为了揭示D-SS和D-ST分子敏化的染料敏化太阳能电池(DSSCs)的物理机制,采用密度泛函理论(DFT)、含时密度泛函理论(TDDFT)和自然键轨道(NBO)分析,模拟计算染料D-SS和D-ST分子的结构、紫外-可见吸收光谱和能级结构.D-SS的紫外-可见吸收光谱相比于D-ST的有明显的红移,而且D-SS分子的摩尔吸光系数也高于D-ST分子的.D-SS分子本应该比D-ST分子拥有更高的俘获太阳辐射光子的能力,但由于D-SS分子的最高占据分子轨道(HOMO)能级位置比氧化还原电解质(|-/|-3)的氧化还原能级高,处于光激发态的D-SS分子向TiO2电极注入电子而被氧化后,不能顺利地从电解质中得到电子而还原,使得D-SS分子俘获光子的能力不能充分发挥,从而严重地降低了由其敏化的DSSCs的光电性能和光电能量转换效率.揭示了D-SS敏化的DSSCs的光电性能,特别是光电能量转换效率比D-ST敏化的DSSCs的低的原因.染料敏化剂分子的HOMO能级的位置对于DSSCs来说也是很重要的,用于DSSCs的有机敏化剂分子的HOMO能级的位置必须低于氧化还原电解质的氧化还原能级.     

推/拉电子取代基对PCBM结构及光谱性质影响的理论研究

应用密度泛函理论(DFT)方法计算[6,6]-苯基-C₆₁-丁酸甲酯(PCBM)及其苯环对位取代得到的4种衍生物的几何和电子结构. 采用第一激发能校正了分子的最低未占据分子轨道(LUMO)能级, 探讨了推/拉电子基团对分子前线轨道的影响. 在全优化几何构型的基础上, 采用含时密度泛函理论(TD-DFT)方法研究了电子吸收光谱特征和电荷转移态性质, 并讨论了推/拉电子基团对体系电子吸收光谱性质的影响. 通过对重组能和电子亲和势的计算, 预测了PCBM与4种衍生物的电子能力及电子迁移率大小的关系. 结果表明, 在PCBM中, 在苯环的对位引入推电子基团可以提高分子的前线轨道能级, 改变前线轨道电子云分布, 明显增强可见光范围内的吸收强度, 增加可见光范围内的电荷转移吸收, 且激发态的电荷转移随着引入基团推电子能力的增加而增强. 化合物5的激发态分子内电荷转移性质最强, 且具有较独特的光伏性质. 而在同样位置引入拉电子基团, 则降低了分子前线轨道能级对电子吸收光谱的影响.     

D-l-A分子修饰罗丹明底环及对其激发态的影响

通过乙基桥把供电子基团1,8-萘酰亚胺与罗丹明底环羧酸基相连,得到了两种以D-l-A(Donor-Acceptor-Line alkanes compounds)分子修饰罗丹明底环的化合物,并就合成中间体D-π-A(Donor-Acceptor-π-conjugated compounds)分子中哌嗪供电子基取代溴对1,8-萘酐母体基态和激发态的影响,以及对D-l-A分子修饰罗丹明底环对罗丹明母体D-π-A分子紫外可见吸收光谱和激发态的影响进行了研究。结果表明:用D-l-A分子修饰罗丹明底环时,D(Donor compound)的给电子能力越强,其吸收强度越大,其吸收紫外光而激发能力越强;在激发态下D-l-A体系发生了分子内能量传递,萘酰亚胺基团发生强烈的荧光猝灭,罗丹明底环接收能量激发罗丹明母体(D-π-A分子)发射特征荧光,D的给电子能力越强,其荧光强度越高。     

新型咪唑类有机荧光小分子的合成及其性质研究

设计并合成了一系列新型吩噻嗪(或三苯胺)-取代的咪唑类有机荧光小分子,通过紫外-可见、荧光和电化学法分析了其光致发光性能和结构的关系.采用密度泛函(DFT)理论(B3LYP/6-31G(d)计算基组)计算了该化合物的最高占据分子轨道(HOMO)和最低未占分子轨道(LUMO)分布.产物的高荧光量子产率、高HOMO能级和高的热稳定性表明:咪唑和吩噻嗪或三苯胺的结合可有效提高产物空穴传输能力和荧光量子产率.     

二氢吲哚类染料用于染料敏化太阳能电池光敏剂的比较

采用密度泛函理论(DFT)和含时密度泛函理论(TD-DFT)对四种二氢吲哚染料进行研究, 从中筛选出相对优秀的染料敏化太阳能电池光敏剂. 对前线分子轨道的计算表明, 二氢吲哚染料的前线分子轨道结构非常有利于染料激发态向TiO2电极的电子注入. 对真空中的紫外和可见光吸收光谱的计算表明, 二氢吲哚染料的吸收光谱与太阳辐射光谱匹配较好. 对染料分子的能级计算表明, 二氢吲哚染料的能级结构比较适合于I-/I-3作电解液的TiO2纳米晶太阳能电池的光敏剂. 二氢吲哚染料最低未占据分子轨道(LUMO) 能级均比TiO2晶体导带边能级高, 能够保证激发态染料分子高效地向TiO2电极转移电子. 二氢吲哚染料最高占据分子轨道(HOMO)的能级比I-/I-3能级低, 保证了失去电子的染料分子能够顺利地从电解液中得到电子. 与实验数据比较, 得出在提高染料敏化太阳能电池转换效率方面, 对染料的关键要求是LUMO能级的位置. 染料分子的稳定性是染料敏化太阳能电池使用寿命的关键因素. 通过对化学键键长的比较表明, 二氢吲哚染料的分子稳定性基本相同. 对计算结果的分析表明, 二氢吲哚染料1(ID1)的LUMO能级最高, 分子稳定性最好, 在酒精溶液中的吸收光谱与太阳辐射光谱匹配很好, 在同类染料中是较好的染料敏化太阳能电池光敏剂.     

二聚(2,5-噻吩乙烯撑)基态和激发态的电子结构: 桥基和芳环取代的影响

采用密度泛函理论(DFT)和含时密度泛函理论(TD-DFT)方法, 在B3LYP/TZVP水平下, 研究了一系列给电子基团(—NH2, —OCH3和—CH3)和吸电子基团(—CCH, —CN和—NO2)在二聚(2,5-噻吩乙烯撑)(2TV)的桥基和芳环上取代对基态和激发态电子结构的影响. 结果表明, 取代基的给/吸电子能力和取代位置对衍生物的几何结构以及吸收发射光谱均有重要影响, 其中氨基(—NH2)和硝基(—NO2)取代对2TV电子结构的影响较为显著. 此外, 对于桥基和芳环取代, 随着取代基吸电子能力的增强, 衍生物的前线分子轨道HOMO和LUMO的能级均呈逐渐降低的趋势.     

密度泛函理论研究2种新型染料分子的分子内电荷转移现象

采用量子化学方法研究了2种新型有机染料分子P1和P4,几何优化和基态性质计算采用B3LYP密度泛函,基组为6-311G(d).由于P1和P4分子中分别存在2个对称的吸电子基团,所以2个染料分子的电子结构存在明显的特点:2个紧邻简并最低空轨道(LowestUnoccupied Molecular Orbital,LUMO)轨道.P1和P4最高占据轨道(Highest Occupied Mo-lecular Orbital,HOMO)到LUMO轨道的跃迁能级差分别为2.79和3.26eV.同时,采用含时密度泛函方法(Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory,TDDFT)研究了2个染料分子的激发态性质.通过电荷差异密度理论方法(Charge Different Density,CDD)直观的展示了分子内电荷转移的现象.对于P1,电荷转移的方向是从苯甲酸基团到2个二氰乙烯基噻吩苯基团;对于P4,电荷是由2个二氰乙烯基联苯基团基团向苯甲酸基转移.     

乙烯基噻吩共轭螺噁嗪化合物的密度泛函理论研究

采用密度泛函理论(DFT)方法, 在B3LYP/6-31G^* 水平上对乙烯基噻吩共轭螺噁嗪化合物 SO-SO3 的几何构型、电子结构、前线分子轨道等进行了理论研究, 计算结果表明: SO-SO3的开环过程会使得开环体的左右两个部分键长均等化, 导致共轭体系变大, 能隙明显减小; 乙烯基噻吩基团共轭接入螺噁嗪母体后, 导致体系的共轭作用变大, 在激发态下电子流动增强, 形成由乙烯基噻吩向萘并噁嗪的有效电荷转移与能量转移; 结合前线分子轨道成分分析乙烯基噻吩单元在最高占据分子轨道(HOMO)和最低未占据分子轨道(LUMO)中的轨道贡献率明显增加. 含时密度泛函理论(TD-DFT)计算的电子吸收光谱结果显示: 当接入的乙烯基噻吩单元达到2-3个时, 影响SO2和SO3开环的最低能量激发态变为第一激发单重态S₁, 并且均源自电子从HOMO至LUMO的跃迁且为π-π^*跃迁; 其最大吸收波长λ_max 达到466-540 nm, 且红移十分明显, 其对应开环体O-SO2与O-SO3的λ_max 达到605和647 nm.     

8-羟基喹啉锰配合物电子结构和光谱性质的含时密度泛函研究

采用密度泛函理论(DFT)B3LYP方法, 对8-羟基喹啉锰配合物进行结构优化, 探讨了配合物的结构、分子轨道能级和组成、电荷分布和转移等; 采用含时密度泛函理论(TDDFT)B3LYP/6-31G(d,p)方法对配合物的电子结构进行计算, 获得其吸收光谱. 结果表明, Mn(Ⅲ)与8-羟基喹啉中的N原子和O原子形成不对称六配位的稳定配合物, 金属锰对前线轨道的贡献很大, 在HOMO轨道中占28.53%, 在LUMO轨道中占68.30%; 中心金属锰(Ⅲ)强烈地参与发光, 电子在基态与激发态之间的跃迁, 主要是中心金属锰及8-羟基喹啉配体间的电荷转移, 在可见光区存在2个强度较大的吸收峰, 分别位于756.8 nm和532.7 nm处. 通过对双分子体系的研究发现, 相邻2个分子之间能够进行微量电荷的转移, 分子间的相互作用对前线轨道组成有明显的影响.     

Rational design of fluorescein-based fluorescence probes. Mechanism-based design of a maximum fluorescence probe for singlet oxygen.

Fluorescein is one of the best available fluorophores for biological applications, but the factors that control its fluorescence properties are not fully established. Thus, we initiated a study aimed at providing a strategy for rational design of functional fluorescence probes bearing fluorescein structure. We have synthesized various kinds of fluorescein derivatives and examined the relationship between their fluorescence properties and the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) levels of their benzoic acid moieties obtained by semiempirical PM3 calculations. It was concluded that the fluorescence properties of fluorescein derivatives are controlled by a photoinduced electron transfer (PET) process from the benzoic acid moiety to the xanthene ring and that the threshold of fluorescence OFF/ON switching lies around -8.9 eV for the HOMO level of the benzoic acid moiety. This information provides the basis for a practical strategy for rational design of functional fluorescence probes to detect certain biomolecules. We used this approach to design and synthesize 9-[2-(3-carboxy-9,10-dimethyl)anthryl]-6-hydroxy-3H-xanthen-3-one (DMAX) as a singlet oxygen probe and confirmed that it is the most sensitive probe currently known for (1)O(2). This novel fluorescence probe has a 9,10-dimethylanthracene moiety as an extremely fast chemical trap of (1)O(2). As was expected from PM3 calculations, DMAX scarcely fluoresces, while DMAX endoperoxide (DMAX-EP) is strongly fluorescent. Further, DMAX reacts with (1)O(2) more rapidly, and its sensitivity is 53-fold higher than that of 9-[2-(3-carboxy-9,10-diphenyl)anthryl]-6-hydroxy-3H-xanthen-3-ones (DPAXs), which are a series of fluorescence probes for singlet oxygen that we recently developed. DMAX should be useful as a fluorescence probe for detecting (1)O(2) in a variety of biological systems.     

A new protein conformation indicator based on biarsenical fluorescein with an extended benzoic acid moiety.

We demonstrate herein a new protein conformation indicator based on biarsenical fluorescein with an extended benzoic acid moiety. The present indicator is reactive to a genetically introduced tetracysteine motif (Cys-Cys-Xaa-Xaa-Cys-Cys, where Xaa is a noncysteine amino acid) of proteins. Compared to the original biarsenical fluorescein (FlAsH) and the biarsenical Nile red analogue (BArNile), the present indicator exhibited larger fluorescence intensity changes in response to Ca(2+)-induced conformational rearrangements of calmodulin. A calculation of the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) level of the benzoic acid moiety of the indicator molecule supports possible involvement of a photoinduced electron transfer (PET) process. These results indicate that the present indicator is useful for sensitive detection of protein conformational changes.     

Tuning the photoinduced electron transfer in near-infrared heptamethine cyanine dyes

An efficient photoinduced electron transfer (PET) system in near-infrared region was described. The PET in heptamethine cyanine dyes was tuned by changing the electron-donating ability of the substituent at the central position of the polymehine chain. 4-Aminophenylthio-substitution led to an efficient PET and the lowest fluorescence quantum yield. The acetylation, protonation or transition metal cation coordination of the amino group could recover fluorescence greatly via suppressing the PET.     

Photoinduced electron transfer (PET) based Zn2+ fluorescent probe: transformation of turn-on sensors into ratiometric ones with dual emission in acetonitrile

Ratiometric sensors for the detection of metal ions have gained increasing attention due to its self-calibration tendency for the environmental effects. In this context, we have synthesized and characterized a dual emitting ratiometric Zn(2+) probe (1) having acridinedione as a fluorophore and N,N-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)amine (BPA) as a receptor unit. Existence of two different conformation of the molecule with photoinduced electron transfer (PET) from amine moiety to the acridinedione fluorophore leads to dual emission, namely locally excited (425 nm) and anomalous charge transfer emission (560 nm) in aprotic solvents. In the presence of one equivalent of Zn(2+), a 15-fold fluorescence enhancement in the locally excited state together with the quenching of charge transfer emission is observed. The intensity changes at the two emission peaks allow a ratiometric detection of Zn(2+) under PET signaling mechanism. The utilization of PET process for the ratiometric fluorescence change will further signify the importance of PET mechanism in sensing action. Addition of Zn(2+) to 1 in acetonitrile/water mixtures shows a single emission peak with fluorescence enhancement.     

Control of emission by intermolecular fluorescence resonance energy transfer and intermolecular charge transfer

Control of emission by intermolecular fluorescence resonant energy transfer (IFRET) and intermolecular charge transfer (ICT) is investigated with the quantum-chemistry method using two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) real space analysis methods. The work is based on the experiment of tunable emission from doped 1,3,5-triphenyl-2-pyrazoline (TPP) organic nanoparticles (Peng, A. D.; et al. Adv. Mater. 2005, 17, 2070). First, the excited-state properties of the molecules, which are studied (TPP and DCM) in that experiment, are investigated theoretically. The results of the 2D site representation reveal the electron-hole coherence and delocalization size on the excitation. The results of 3D cube representation analysis reveal the orientation and strength of the transition dipole moments and intramolecular or intermolecular charge transfer. Second, the photochemical quenching mechanism via IFRET is studied (here "resonance" means that the absorption spectrum of TPP overlaps with the fluorescence emission spectrum of DCM in the doping system) by comparing the orbital energies of the HOMO (highest occupied molecular orbital) and the LUMO (lowest unoccupied molecular orbital) of DCM and TPP in absorption and fluorescence. Third, for the DCM-TPP complex, the nonphotochemical quenching mechanism via ICT is investigated. The theoretical results show that the energetically lowest ICT state corresponds to a pure HOMO-LUMO transition, where the densities of the HOMO and LUMO are strictly located on the DCM and TPP moieties, respectively. Thus, the lowest ICT state corresponds to an excitation of an electron from the HOMO of DCM to the LUMO of TPP.     

三嗪类双极性蓝色磷光主体材料的合成及性能

设计合成了一种基于三嗪类的新型双极性蓝色磷光主体材料[4-(4,6-二-α-萘氧基-1,3,5-三嗪-2-基)苯基]9-咔唑(NOTPC),并对其结构进行了表征。通过紫外-可见(UV-Vis)吸收、荧光、低温磷光、循环伏安法、热重分析(TGA)、差热分析(DSC)和密度泛函理论(DFT)对其性能及结构进行了研究。结果表明,NOTPC在CH₂Cl₂稀溶液中的吸收峰位于341和374 nm;发射峰位于478 nm;NOTPC的低温(77 K)磷光光谱的第一发射峰位于442 nm,其三线态能级为2.80 eV,与蓝色磷光材料FIrpic(2.62 eV)的能级相匹配;NOTPC的HOMO主要分布在苯基咔唑单元,而LUMO主要定域在三嗪环上。其HOMO能级为-5.40 eV,与阳极ITO的功函(-4.5~-5.0 eV)相匹配,LUMO能级为-2.32 eV,接近于电子传输材料PBD(-2.82 eV),NOTPC表现出双极传导性能, 且热稳定性良好。     

Highly selective fluorescent OFF-ON thiol probes based on dyads of BODIPY and potent intramolecular electron sink 2,4-dinitrobenzenesulfonyl subunits

Two highly selective OFF-ON green emitting fluorescent thiol probes (1 and 2) with intense absorption in the visible spectrum (molar extinction coefficient ε is up to 73?800 M(-1) cm(-1) at 509 nm) based on dyads of BODIPY (as electron donor of the photo-induced electron transfer, i.e.PET) and 2,4-dinitrobenzenesulfonyl (DNBS) (as electron acceptor of the PET process) were devised. The single crystal structures of the two probes were determined. The distance between the electron donor (BODIPY fluorophore) and the electron acceptor (DNBS) of probe 2 is larger than that of probe 1, as a result the contrast ratio (or the PET efficiency) of probe 2 is smaller than that of probe 1. However, fluorescence OFF-ON switching effects were observed for both probe 1 and probe 2 in the presence of cysteine (the emission enhancement is 300-fold for probe 1 and 54-fold for probe 2). The fluorescence OFF-ON sensing mechanism is rationalized by DFT/TDDFT calculations. We demonstrated with DFT calculations that DNBS is ca. 0.76 eV more potent to accept electrons than the maleimide moiety. The probes were used for fluorescent imaging of cellular thiols.     

Mechanistic Analysis of Fluorescence Quenching of Reduced Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide by Oxamate in Lactate Dehydrogenase Ternary Complexes

Fluorescence of Reduced Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (NADH) is extensively employed in studies of oxidoreductases. A substantial amount of static and kinetic work has focused on the binding of pyruvate or substrate mimic oxamate to the binary complex of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH)‐NADH where substantial fluorescence quenching is typically observed. However, the quenching mechanism is not well understood limiting structural interpretation. Based on time‐dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) computations with cam‐B3LYP functional in conjunction with the analysis of previous experimental results, we propose that bound oxamate acts as an electron acceptor in the quenching of fluorescence of NADH in the ternary complex, where a charge transfer (CT) state characterized by excitation from the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) of the nicotinamide moiety of NADH to the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) of oxamate exists close to the locally excited (LE) state involving only the nicotinamide moiety. Efficient quenching in the encounter complex like in pig heart LDH requires that oxamate forms a salt bridge with Arg‐171 and hydrogen bonds with His‐195, Thr‐246 and Asn‐140. Further structural rearrangement and loop closure, which also brings about another hydrogen bond between oxamate and Arg‐109, will increase the rate of fluorescence quenching as well.     

Intramolecular Photo-Oxidation as a Potential Source to Probe Biological Electron Damage: A Carboxylated Adenosine Analogue as Case Study

A carboxylated adenosine analog (C-Ado⁻) has been synthesized and probed via time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy in order to induce intra-molecular charge transfer from the carboxylic acid moiety to the nucleobase. Intra-molecular charge transfer can be exploited as starting point to probe low-energy electron (LEE) damage in DNA and its derivatives. Time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) calculations at the B3LYP-6311G level of theory have been performed to verify that the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) was located on carboxylic acid and that the lowest occupied molecular orbital (LUMO) was on the nucleobase. Hence, the carboxylic acid could work as electron source, whilst the nucleobase could serve the purpose of electron acceptor. The dynamics following excitation at 4.66 eV (266 nm) were probed using time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy using probes at 1.55 eV (800 nm) and 3.10 eV (400 nm). The data show rapid decay of the excited state population and, based on the similarity of the overall dynamics to deoxy-adenosine monophosphate (dAMP^–), it appears that the dominant decay mechanism is internal conversion following ¹ππ* excitation of the nucleobase, rather than charge-transfer from the carboxylic acid to the nucleobase.