Photophysical properties and photocytotoxicity of novel phthalocyanines - potentially useful for their application in photodynamic therapy

Two novel zinc(II) phthalocyanines bearing non-peripheral ester-alkyloxy substituents (Pc-4 and Pc-5) were synthesized, by a two-step procedure starting from 2,3-dicyanohydroquinone. Both sensitizers show promising photophysical properties, including solvatochromic study, qualitative evaluation of emission, aggregation behavior and singlet oxygen generation. It was proven that the photodynamic activity of the compounds studied depends on the molecular oxygen level. Comparison of the quantum yields of singlet oxygen generation as well as the oxidation rate constants using 1,3-diphenylisobenzofurane before and after deaeration proved the photodynamic effect of Pc-4 and Pc-5 to be governed by the photosensitization mechanism II. Changes in the quantities of the compounds exposed to irradiation were also estimated. Upon their exposure to light the changes in intensity of the Q band were monitored. The photodecomposition of Pc-4 and Pc-5 in DMSO or DMF solutions was found to proceed according to the first order kinetic reaction in two stages.The photosensitizing effect of Pc-4 in HSC-3 cells was significantly lower than that of ZnPc. Pc-4 was ineffective at 0.1 μM, while a low, approx. 15% photocytotoxicity was observed at 5 μM, at a distance of 5 and 10 cm. The efficacy of Pc-4 in photokilling of cultured cells is affected by hydrophobicity and the aggregation status of the photosensitizer.     

Single- and two-photon excited fluorescence in organic nonlinear optical single crystal 3-(1,1-dicyanoethenyl)-1-phenyl-4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazole

Fluorescence of nonlinear optical organic single crystal of 3-(1,1-dicyanoethenyl)-1-phenyl-4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazole (DCNP) excited by a nonabsorbed light pulses from Q-switched Nd:YAG laser λ = 1064 nm as well as absorbed λ = 532 nm light is reported. Two mechanisms of two-photon excited fluorescence are considered: (i) direct two-photon excited fluorescence and (ii) single-photon excitation due to reabsorption of light generated in process of second harmonic generation (SHG) by the crystal due to its nonlinear optical properties. Strong anisotropy of fluorescence that has been observed is linked with uniaxial molecular alignment. Fluorescence decay profile shows two- exponential decay with lifetimes of emitting species of 3.7 and 5.6 ns at 293 K. The excitation and fluorescence spectra of the DCNP single crystal have been measured at 294 K and in function of temperature down to 77.4 K. The strong bathochromic shift of fluorescence spectrum in crystal with respect to fluorescence of DCNP molecule in solution is observed and interpreted with possible formation of molecular aggregates.     

Electron ionization and electrospray mass spectra of diaryl-substituted enaminoketones and their thio analogs

Electron ionization (EI) and positive electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectra of selected diaryl enaminoketones and enaminothiones have been studied. In the EI mass spectra of both classes of compound, molecular ion peaks are accompanied by the peaks corresponding to the [M-H](+) ions. The formation of these ions can be rationalized by a cyclization reaction resulting in the formation of the respective isoxazolium and isothiazolium cations. Under positive ESI conditions, in the spectra recorded for the enaminoketones peaks corresponding to the [M+H](+), [M+Na](+) and [2M+Na](+) ions appeared, while in the spectra recorded for the enaminothiones, peaks corresponding to the [M-H](+) ions were dominant. These ions are most likely formed by oxidation of the neutral enaminothione molecules on the surface of the positively charged stainless steel capillary in the ESI ion source (anodic oxidation).     

Infrared and Raman Spectra of Solid Guanine Derivatives. 7-METHYLGUANINE, 9-METHYLGUANINE, 9-ETHYLGUANINE, 1,7-DIMETHYLGUANINE,and 1,9-DIMETHYLGUANINE.

The infrared and Raman spectra of 7-methylguanine, 9-methylguanine, 9-ethylguanine, 1,7-dimethylguanine, and 1,9-dimethylguanine in the solid state have been reported and discussed. Hydrogen bonds in these solid guanine derivatives bring about strong perturbations which are discussed in terms of structural data given by X-ray diffraction methods. The spectra of guanine and 9-methylguanine are compared with the spectra of the monomers isolated in low-temperature matrices.     

Examining the possibilities of applying high pressure to preserve yoghurt supplemented with probiotic bacteria

Natural yoghurt was subject to pressures of 200 and 250 MPa/4 and 18°C/15 min, after which milk-activated inocula of Lactobacillus acidophilus and Bifidobacterium sp. were added. The yoghurts were stored for 4 weeks at refrigeration temperature. After preparation and each week of storage, the count of bacteria, acidity, antibacterial property and an organoleptic assessment was determined. The highest survival rate was demonstrated by the bacteria of Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus, Streptococcus thermophilus and Bifidobacterium sp. in the yoghurt pressurised 200 MPa/15min at 4°C. Acidity increases in the control yoghurts were higher than in the pressurised ones. Pressurised yoghurts demonstrated weaker antibacterial effect in comparison to control yoghurts. Slight changes in the smell and taste were observed after pressurisation. Yoghurts pressurised at 18°C were characterised by more favourable organoleptic properties. Better conciseness of the curd and lower whey seep out were observed in pressurised yoghurt.     

Thermal decomposition kinetics of palladium(II) 1‐allylimidazole complexes

Thermal dehydration and decomposition processes of a Pd(II) coordination compound, [PdL₄]Cl₂·3H₂O ( 1 ), (where L is 1‐allylimidazole) were studied by simultaneous TG/DSC techniques under constant heating rates condition. The released gas products were analyzed by online coupling a FTIR spectrometer to the TG equipment. The so obtained evolved gas analysis confirmed that only two ligand molecules were released and that a new 1‐allylimidazole Pd(II) complex, trans‐[PdL₂Cl₂] ( 2a ), was obtained. The same coordination compound was also prepared by heating 1 at 413.15 K in air atmosphere until a constant weight was reached 2b . Thermal decomposition mechanisms for the 2a and 2b complexes examined were proposed according to the three mass loss steps derived by TG data. Based on the model‐free isoconversional method described by Flynn–Wall–Ozawa (FWO), the dependencies of activation energy on the degree of conversion were determined. A model‐free “single point” method was also applied using the Kissinger equation, and derived results were compared to those of the former method. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 37: 667–674, 2005     

Conformational studies by nuclear magnetic resonance. VII—The direct observation of rotational isomers in some enamino carbonyl compounds and their thione derivatives by carbon magnetic resonance

Carbon-13 magnetic resonance spectra of the s-cis and s-trans rotamers of enamino ketones and thiones of the general formula \documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}${\rm X =}\mathop {\rm C}\limits^{\rm 1} {\rm (}\mathop {\rm R}\limits^{\rm 1} {\rm)}\mathop {\rm C}\limits^{\rm 2} {\rm H =}\mathop {\rm C}\limits^{\rm 3} {\rm HN}\mathop {{\rm R}_{\rm 2}}\limits^{\rm 4}$\end{document} (where × = O or S and R-1, R-4 = alkyl) have been obtained. With dimethylaminoacrolein and its thione analogue, restricted rotation could only be observed in the latter. The chemical shift differences between rotamers and homologues are attributed to changes in conjugation and to induced bond polarisation, both these factors resulting from steric strain. In particular, nonplanar deformations of the s-trans rotamers are deduced from their C-2 chemical shift values.     

The Pinsker partition of the generalized Lorentz gas

It is shown that the Pinster partition of the generalized Lorentz gas is given by the relation (Q,X)∽(Q′, X′) iff Q=Q′, where Q, Q′ are configurations of discs and X, X′ are sets of infinitely many particles.     

Studies on the reactions of selenite ion with 1,2-dimercaptoethane or thioacetic acid

The reactions are reported between selenite and 1,2-dimercaptoethane (DME) or thioacetic acid (TAA) to form moderately stable derivatives having an enhanced absorptions in the 230–360 nm region in combining molar ratios 3:2 and 4:1, respectively. Both reactions invariably yield one product corresponding to the selenium-containing derivative of DME or TAA. The formation of products is a pH dependent process. The equilibrium constants of reactions between selenite and DME or TAA were measured.     

Degrees in a digraph whose nodes are graphs

By an f-graph we mean an unlabeled graph having no vertex of degree greater than f. Let D(n, f) denote the digraph whose node set is the set of f-graphs of order n and such that there is an arc from the node corresponding to graph H to the node corresponding to the graph K if and only if K is obtainable from H by the addition of a single edge. In earlier work, algorithms were developed which produce exact results about the structure of D(n, f), nevertheless many open problems remain. For example, the computation of the order and size of D(n, f) for a number of values of n and f have been obtained. Formulas for the order and size for f = 2 have also been derived. However, no closed form formulas have been determined for the order and size of D(n, f) for any value of f. Here we focus on questions concerning the degrees of the nodes in D(n,n − 1) and comment on related questions for D(n,f) for 2 f < n − 1.