meso- and β-Pyrrole-Linked Chlorin-Bacteriochlorin Dyads for Promoting Far-Red FRET and Singlet Oxygen Production

A series of chlorin-bacteriochlorin dyads (derived from naturally occurring chlorophyll-a and bacteriochlorophyll-a), covalently connected either through the meso-aryl or β-pyrrole position (position-3) via an ester linkage have been synthesized and characterized as a new class of far-red emitting fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) imaging, and heavy atom-lacking singlet oxygen-producing agents. From systematic absorption, fluorescence, electrochemical, and computational studies, the role of chlorin as an energy donor and bacteriochlorin as an energy acceptor in these wide-band-capturing dyads was established. Efficiency of FRET evaluated from spectral overlap was found to be 95 and 98 % for the meso-linked and β-pyrrole-linked dyads, respectively. Furthermore, evidence for the occurrence of FRET from singlet-excited chlorin to bacteriochlorin was secured from studies involving femtosecond transient absorption studies in toluene. The measured FRET rate constants, k_FRET, were in the order of 10¹¹ s⁻¹, suggesting the occurrence of ultrafast energy transfer in these dyads. Nanosecond transient absorption studies confirmed relaxation of the energy transfer product, ¹BChl*, to its triplet state, ³Bchl*. The ³Bchl* thus generated was capable of producing singlet oxygen with quantum yields comparable to their monomeric entities. The occurrence of efficient FRET emitting in the far-red region and the ability to produce singlet oxygen make the present series of dyads useful for photonic, imaging and therapy applications.     

Synthesis, photophysical properties and sugar-dependent in vitro photocytotoxicity of pyrrolidine-fused chlorins bearing S-glycosides

Eight S-glycosylated 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(tetrafluorophenyl)porphyrins (1a′, 1b′, 1a and 1b (a: S-glucosylated, b: S-galactosylated)) and their 1,3-dipolar cycloadducts, i.e. chlorins 2a′, 2b′, 2a and 2b were prepared by nucleophilic substitution of the pentafluorophenyl groups with S-glycoside. These photosensitizers were characterized by ¹H, ¹³C and ¹⁹F NMR spectroscopies and elemental analysis. The photocytotoxicity of the S-glycosylated photosensitizers and the parent porphyrin (1) and chlorin (2) was examined in HeLa cells. Photosensitizers 1, 2, 1a′, 1b′, 2a′ and 2b′ showed no significant photocytotoxicity at the concentration of 0.5 μM, while the deprotected photosensitizers 1a, 1b, 2a and 2b were photocytotoxic. The strong inhibition by sodium azide of the photocytotoxicity of these photosensitizers suggested that ¹O₂ is the main mediator. The S-glucosylated photosensitizers 1a and 2a showed higher photocytotoxicity than S-galactosylated 1b and 2b, respectively. The cellular uptake of 1a and 2a increased up to 24 h, while that of 1b and 2b was saturated by 12 h.     

Novel types of boronated chlorin e6 conjugates via ‘click chemistry’

Conjugates of chlorin e₆ with closo‐dodecaborate and cobalt bis(dicarbollide) anions were synthesized for the first time in high yields using the advanced ‘click’ methodology. In vitro study on A549 human lung adenocarcinoma cells revealed that the synthesized boronated conjugates are able to penetrate and accumulate in cancer cells, but their intracellular concentration is not sufficient for effective photodynamic and boron neutron capture therapy of cancer. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

HPLC study of chlorin e6 and its molecular complex with polyvinylpyrrolidone

Several HPLC methods with UV detection were developed for qualitative and quantitative analysis of chlorin e(6) and photosensitizer Photolon either in the free form or upon pre-derivatization (methylation) under reversed- and normal-phase conditions. Optimum analysis conditions providing the best resolution of analytes were found at acidic pH where polar groups are completely protonated. The separation was performed by gradient elution with mobile phases of 0.08% trifluoroacetic acid and acetonitrile on an XTerra RP(18) column. The method was specific, accurate and precise, allowing the analysis of chlorin e(6) in the presence of numerous degradation products useful in the manufacturing process and quality control of chlorin e(6) and Photolon.     

Synthesis of cationic water-soluble esters of chlorin e6

Two esters of chlorin e₆ have been synthesized by esterification with aminoalcohols via the formation of acid chloride using oxalyl chloride and converted to the corresponding cationic water-soluble esters of chlorin e₆. The visible absorption and circular dichroism spectra have revealed that these two cationic chlorin e₆ esters synthesized are readily soluble in water as a monomer.     

具有叶绿素-a碳架的苯乙烯基取代Z/E-二氢卟吩衍生物的合成

The Wittig reaction of methyl pyropheophorbide-d 2,obtained from methyl pyropheophorbide-a 1,with ben-zyltriphenylphosphonium bromide was performed to yield isomers 3a and 3b.The Vilsmeier reaction of nickelcomplex 4 or 7 with 3-dimethylaminoacrolein in the presence of phosphoryl chloride was carried out to form20-meso-2'-formylvinylpyropheophorbide-a 5 or 8,which was reacted with Wittig reagent to afford nickel complexisomers 6a and 6b or 9a and 9b,10a and 10b.     

Calculation of Normal Vibrations of Chlorin by the Method of Density Functionals

Using the DFT/B3LYP method with a 6-31G(d) basis set, the structure, normal vibration frequencies, and the absolute band intensities in the IR spectra of the chlorin molecule and its four symmetric isotopomers have been calculated. Scaling of the force field by the Pulay method in independent and natural coordinates has been carried out. A method for obtaining effective force fields without using experimental data on the fundamental vibration frequencies is proposed. By comparing the vibration modes and constructing special matrices, complete assignment of the fundamental frequencies of porphin and chlorin has been carried out. It has been shown that the majority of porphin macroring vibrations upon pyrrolenine ring hydrogenation are frequency-characteristic and only 12 vibrations change considerably. A frequency correlation with regard for the mode transition between chlorin and all its isotopomers under consideration has been established. Comparative analysis of the force fields of porphin and chlorin in dependent natural coordinates has revealed the unique nonlocal character of the change in force constants of the macroring upon hydrogenation of one pyrrolenine ring. Modeling of the IR spectra of chlorin and its isotopomers has been performed. Assignment and interpretation of the normal vibrations of the molecules under consideration have been carried out.     

Investigation of the intramembrane distribution of chlorin e6 derivatives by using fluorescence quenching

Belarusian State University, 4, F. Skorina Ave., Minsk, 220050, Belarus. Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Spektroskopii, Vol. 62, No. 2, pp. 179–187, March–April, 1995     

Use of Ag(II) as a removable template in porphyrin chemistry: diol cleavage products of [meso-tetraphenyl-2,3-cis-diolchlorinato]silver(II)

The use of Ag^II as a removable template in synthetic porphyrin chemistry is described. Mild procedures for the insertion of Ag^II into chlorins and the demetallation of the [chlorinato]Ag^II complexes are delineated. The UV-vis spectra of the novel [chlorinato]Ag^II complexes are discussed. The diol cleavage products of [meso-tetraphenyl-2,3-diolchlorinato]silver(II) under a number of conditions are characterized and compared to those resulting from the cleavage of the corresponding free base diol chlorin or its Ni^II complex, highlighting the unique templating effect of Ag^II. The scopes and limits of electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) for the analysis of Ag^II chlorins is described. The use of Ag^II as a templating metal is superior over Ni^II or Zn^II for the preparation of free base pyrrole-modified porphyrins along metal templated pathways.     

Synthesis of a peptide-linked chlorin dyad as a model compound for the photosynthetic reaction centre

The enantiomerically pure chlorins 19 and 21 were synthesised from tripyrrolic nickel complex rac-17 and pyrrole building blocks 12 and 16. The pyrroles are annelated with norbornane moieties which contain the chiral information as well as two different functionalities. The functional groups, namely a carboxylic acid ester and a carbonitrile group, of chlorin 21 finally allowed the formation of an amino acid functionality at the periphery of the macrotetracycle. By using principles of peptide chemistry, the two chlorin subunits were joined to form the peptide-linked chlorin-chlorin dyad 24, which mimics the molecular parts of the natural photosynthetic reaction centre.