PHOTOCHEMISTRY OF FLAVINS. II. PHOTOPHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF ALLOXAZINES AND ISOALLOXAZINES

Abstract. Pulsed laser photolysis at 347nm has been used to study the transient spectroscopy of alloxazine, lumichrome, lumiflavin, and riboflavin in acidic (pH 2.2) aqueous solution and in ethanol. Intersystem crossing quantum yields (φ_ISC) were determined by a modification of the comparative laser excitation method which utilizes the variation of the triplet yield with intensity in conjunction with a kinetic model for the various photophysical and photochemical processes occurring during the pulse. Fluorescence quantum yields and lifetimes are also reported. Correction for quenching of the excited singlet state by H⁺ ions shows that, in neutral aqueous solution, intersystem crossing for flavins is an efficient process (φ_ISC˜ 0.7) which, in conjunction with fluorescence, accounts for the fate of all absorbed photons. For alloxazine (φ_ISC˜ 0.45) and lumichrome (φ_ISC˜ 0.7) the results are more difficult to interpret owing to interconversion between alloxazine and isoalloxazine structures in the singlet excited state. For all four compounds, the quantum yield of products derived from the singlet excited state is estimated as ˜0.04. There is evidence of biphotonic product formation at high laser energies. In ethanol, where φ_ISC for lumichrome is about twice that of lumiflavin, internal conversion between the excited singlet and ground states appears to be a significant process. Complete triplet-triplet absorption spectra in the region 260–750nm are reported. For lumichrome at pH 2.2 there is spectral evidence for isomeric triplet states which appear to be in equilibrium.     

LASER FLASH PHOTOLYSIS OF INDOLE IN THE PRESENCE OF AMINO ACIDS

The laser flash photolysis of indole at 265 nm in the presence of glycine, proline and hydroxy proline was studied. The relative yields of c _aq, triplet state, and indole cation radical were determined in the absence and in the presence of the amino acids. The yields were determined as a function of laser intensity and the values at very low intensity were compared with the fluorescence quenching results. It was concluded that in these conditions the photoionization of indole occurs via the fluorescent state. From the curves of triplet yield vs laser intensity, the triplet quantum yield extrapolated at low laser intensity was obtained, φr = 0.55 φ 0.05, relative to the literature value of 0.15 for φ_eag. This gives φ_F+φ_eaq= 1.0 ± 0.1 at room temperature. When proline and hydroxy proline were used as singlet quenchers, the yield of In was greater than the yield of c_aq. This was considered as evidence that a fraction of the quenching processes leads to complete electron transfer from indole to the amino acids.     

Spectroscopic studies of purine. II. Properties of purine substituted at the second and sixth carbons

Abstract— Substitution of an amino group at the C2 carbon of purine causes the two main components of the X absorption band to be separated by 200–500 Å: primarily this reflects the Occurrence of the lowest-lying transition at much longer wavelengths than in purine since, except in deoxyguanosine, there is an appreciable absorption component at ? 2420 Å in these compounds. Unlike purine, the wavelength shifts produced by different solvents are not simply related to the dielectric constant or hydrogen bonding capacity of the solvents. In agreement with previous predictions thatπ-π*states should be the lowest-lying excited singlets, no phosphorescence is observed from 2–aminopurine—the fluorescence quantum yield is close to unity. Besides strong fluorescence very weak phosphoresence can be detected when another amino group is added at C6 and when an oxygen is attached to the sixth carbon (guanine) fluorescence and phosphorescence of comparable intensities are observed: the sum of the quantum yields for both types of emission is of the order of unity. Thus, the lowest-lying singlet transition must be a π-π*state. At room temperature themal quenching is the most important parameter in determining the fluorescence intensity of these molecules, however, at lower temperatures the intensity—similar to the wavelength—f this emission apparently also depends upon the ability of a given solvent to reorient and/or perturb Franck-Condon surfaces. Discrepancies observed between absorption and excitation spectra in deoxyguanosine and azaguanine appear to reflect emission caused respectively by aggregation of molecules and by keto-enol shifts.     

Simulation of the cyclopropanecarbaldehyde and cyclopropylethanone photoisomerization processes and calculation of the quantum yields of the reactions

The cyclopropanecarbaldehyde → 2-butenal and cyclopropylethanone → 3-pentenone-2 photoisomerization processes were simulated. The calculated quantum yields of the products are in quantitative agreement with experimental data. The validity of the method proposed for the calculation of quantum yields of photochemical reactions was confirmed. It was found that if the condition of relative smallness of the optical transition probabilities as compared to the quantum beat frequency is met, the quantum yields can be quantitatively estimated with satisfactory accuracy directly from the transition probabilities without running the full calculation of the phototransformation kinetics. It was shown that the integral characteristics of photochemical reactions (quantum yields) are highly responsive to the conformational state of the molecules involved in the process.     

Photochemical inactivation of trypsin

Abstract —The quantum yield for inactivation of aqueous trypsin fits the expression φ_f=Σ_rf_rφ‘_r, where f_r, is the fraction of incident light absorbed by residues of type r and the φ’_r are constants. The values φ‘_trp= 0.012, φ_tyr= 0.005 and φ’_eys= 0.10, obtained at pH 3 in the wavelength range 240–290 nm, are attributed to independent events by comparing with quantum yields of the initial photochemical products and permanent residue destruction. The proposed inactivating processes are photoionization of one essential tryptophyl residue, photolysis of one essential cystyl residue, and splitting of an essential cystyl residue induced by light absorption in a nearby tyrosyl residue. The initial photochemical process from pH 3–7 identified by flash photolysis is the ejection of electrons from approximately two tryptophyl residues, leading to the formation of the disulfide bridge electron adduct and the hydrated electron. It is proposed that one photoionized tryptophyl residue is permanently disrupted and the other is restored through a back reaction that leads to a damaged, active enzyme form. An enhanced inactivation quantum yield at flash photolysis light intensities is attributed to a biphotonic process. A model based on one-photon photoionization of tryptophan from a short-lived precursor of the fluorescent state and the biphotonic photoionization of tryptophan via the triplet state is consistent with the experimental results.     

Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy of flavins and flavoenzymes: photochemical and photophysical aspects

Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy (FCS) was used to investigate the excited-state properties of flavins and flavoproteins in solution at the single molecule level. Flavin mononucleotide (FMN), flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) and lipoamide dehydrogenase served as model systems in which the flavin cofactor is either free in solution (FMN, FAD) or enclosed in a protein environment as prosthetic group (lipoamide dehydrogenase). Parameters such as excitation light intensity, detection time and chromophore concentration were varied in order to optimize the autocorrelation traces. Only in experiments with very low light intensity ( < 10 kW/cm2), FMN and FAD displayed fluorescence properties equivalent to those found with conventional fluorescence detection methods. Due to the high triplet quantum yield of FMN, the system very soon starts to build up a population of non-fluorescent molecules, which is reflected in an apparent particle number far too low for the concentration used. Intramolecular photoreduction and subsequent photobleaching may well explain these observations. The effect of photoreduction was clearly shown by titration of FMN with ascorbic acid. While titration of FMN with the quenching agent potassium iodide at higher concentrations ( > 50 mM of I-) resulted in quenched flavin fluorescence as expected, low concentrations of potassium iodide led to a net enhancement of the de-excitation rate from the triplet state, thereby improving the fluorescence signal. FCS experiments on FAD exhibited an improved photostability of FAD as compared to FMN: As a result of stacking of the adenine and flavin moieties, FAD has a considerably lower triplet quantum yield. Correlation curves of lipoamide dehydrogenase yielded correct values for the diffusion time and number of molecules at low excitation intensities. However, experiments at higher light intensities revealed a process which can be explained by photophysical relaxation or photochemical destruction of the enzyme. As the time constant of the process induced at higher light intensities resembles the diffusion time constant of free flavin, photodestruction with the concomitant release of the cofactor offers a reasonable explanation.     

Laser intensity effects in the IR multiphoton decomposition of CF2HCl

Major intensity effects were observed in the collision-free CO₂ laser-induced dissociation of CF₂HCl utilizing real-time laser-excited fluorescence diagnostics. At constant fluence: increasing average pulse intensities by 6 increased dissociation yields 400 fold; pulse mode-locking caused 5–10 fold increases in yield. Induction times reflect threshold behavior. Collisions reduce laser intensity effects.     

Superposition of different photoionization mechanisms upon laser irradiation of pyrene in tetrahydrofuran solutions at room temperature

The photoconductivity signal consecutive to a light pulse from a 337.1 nm N₂ laser can be understood as the superposition of photocurrents stremming from two distinct photoionization mechanisms. Low light intensity (5 × 10²¹ quanta/cm²s) favors the triplet—triplet annihilation path where light absorption produces an initial population of excited triplets which subsequently undergo diffusion controlled collisional encounters resulting partly in the generation of charge carriers; high light intensity (10²³ quanta/cm²s) favors a biphotonic photoionization mechanism in which ionization occurs during the light pulse by consecutive absorption of two photons. Oxygen quenching does not affect the ion quantum yield in the biophotonic process. This fact and evidence derived from a kinetic simulation involving only the triplet and singlet states are discussed in terms of the possible intermediate state(s) necessary for consecutive biphotonic ionization.     

Comparison of femtosecond laser and continuous wave UV sources for protein-nucleic acid crosslinking

Crosslinking proteins to the nucleic acids they bind affords stable access to otherwise transient regulatory interactions. Photochemical crosslinking provides an attractive alternative to formaldehyde-based protocols, but irradiation with conventional UV sources typically yields inadequate product amounts. Crosslinking with pulsed UV lasers has been heralded as a revolutionary technique to increase photochemical yield, but this method had only been tested on a few protein-nucleic acid complexes. To test the generality of the yield enhancement, we have investigated the benefits of using approximately 150 fs UV pulses to crosslink TATA-binding protein, glucocorticoid receptor and heat shock factor to oligonucleotides in vitro. For these proteins, we find that the quantum yields (and saturating yields) for forming crosslinks using the high-peak intensity femtosecond laser do not improve on those obtained with low-intensity continuous wave (CW) UV sources. The photodamage to the oligonucleotides and proteins also has comparable quantum yields. Measurements of the photochemical reaction yields of several small molecules selected to model the crosslinking reactions also exhibit nearly linear dependences on UV intensity instead of the previously predicted quadratic dependence. Unfortunately, these results disprove earlier assertions that femtosecond pulsed laser sources provide significant advantages over CW radiation for protein-nucleic acid crosslinking.     

二代光致变色液晶树枝状碳硅烷的光化学研究——端基含36个丁氧基偶氮苯介晶基元

研究了新的含36个丁氧基偶氮苯介晶基元的二代光致变色液晶树枝状碳硅烷(D2)在氯仿、四氢呋喃溶液中的光强,吸收光强,摩尔消光系数,最大吸收波长,量子产率,活化能,异构转换率,光回复异构化反应平衡常数,反-顺光异构化反应速率常数,光回复异构化正/逆和热回复异构化反应速率常数.     

How Graphene Oxide Quenches Fluorescence of Rhodamine 6G

We investigate the fluorescence quenching of Rhodamine 6G (R6G), a well known laser dye with a high fluorescence quantum yield, by as-synthesized graphene oxide (GO) in aqueous solution, which is found to be rather efficient. By means of steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy combined with detailed analysis about the linear absorption variation for this R6G-GO system, the pertinent quenching mechanism has been elucidated to be a combination of dynamic and static quenching. Possible ground-state complexes between R6G and GO during the static quenching have also been suggested. Furthermore, the direction of photoinduced electron transfer between R6G and GO has been discussed.     

The photolysis of n-butyraldehyde in isooctane at 313 nm

The effects of aldehyde concentration, incident light intensity, and temperature on the quantum yields of reaction products were studied. Mechanisms for primary and secondary photochemical processes were suggested, and primary quantum yields as well as rate constant ratios were derived. Reversibility of intramolecular γ-hydrogen transfer and disproportionation of the radical pair formed in the reaction of an excited triplet and ground state molecule were shown to provide important pathways for radiationless decay of the triplet state.     

Laser Flash Photolysis Studies of the UVA Sunscreen Mexoryl SX

Abstract The results of a nanosecond laser flash photolysis investigation of the UVA sunscreen Mexoryl* SX in various solvent environments and within a commercial sunscreen formulation are reported. To the best of our knowledge this is the first laser flash photolysis study of a commercial suncare formulation. In each of these environments kinetic UV-visible absorption measurements following nanosecond 355 nm laser excitation reveals a short-lived species with a solvent-dependent absorption maximum around 470–500 nm and a solvent-dependent lifetime of 50–120 ns. This transient absorption is attributed to the triplet state of Mexoryl* SX on the basis that it is quenched by molecular oxygen leading to the formation of singlet oxygen in acetonitrile. The singlet oxygen quantum yield (φ_Δ), determined by comparative time-resolved near-infrared luminescence measurements and extrapolated to the limit of complete triplet state quenching, is estimated as 0.09 ± 0.03 in acetonitrile. In aqueous solution the shorter triplet state lifetime combined with lower ambient oxygen concentrations precludes significant triplet state quenching. For the commercial sunscreen formulation there was no observable difference in the measured triplet lifetime between samples exposed to oxygen or argon, suggesting that the singlet oxygen quantum yield in such environments is likely to be orders of magnitude lower than that measured in acetonitrile.     

H(D)-atom yields in the quenching of Xe(6s[3/2]1) by methane, ethane, ethene, ethyne, and their deuterated isotopologues

The yields for the production of H(D) atoms in the reactions of Xe(6s[3/2]1) with simple hydrocarbons and their deuterated variants were determined. Xe(6s[32](1)) was produced by two-photon laser excitation of Xe(6p[1/2]0) followed by concomitant amplified spontaneous emission. H(D) atoms are detected using a vacuum-ultraviolet laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) technique. The H(D)-atom yields were evaluated from the LIF intensities and the overall rate constants for the quenching, which were determined from the temporal profile measurements of the resonance fluorescence from Xe(6s[3/2](1)). HD isotope effects were observed not only in the overall rate constants but also in the H(D)-atom yields. The yields for CH4, C2H4, and C2H2 were determined to be 0.89, 1.43, 1.03, respectively, while those for CD4, C2D4, and C2D2 were found to be smaller; 0.63, 0.86, and 0.79, respectively. The HD yield ratio for CH2D2 was 1.76. The presence of the isotope effects both in the rate constants and the yields suggests that electronic-to-electronic energy transfer processes and abstractive processes are competing.     

Photoluminescence of 2-aminofluorene: a relook

The absorption and fluorescence spectra of 2-aminofluorene (2-AF) have been studied as a function of solvent polarity and acid concentration. Using the multiparametric approach of Taft et al., it is clear that 2-AF is a better proton acceptor in the S₀ state and a proton donor in the S₁ state. Excitation of 2-AF to three electronically excited states has shown that fluorescence is always observed from the lowest excited singlet state, but fluorescence quantum yield increases with the increase of λ_exc. The decrease in fluorescence quantum yield with increase in solvent polarity and hydrogen bonding is due to solvent-induced quenching. A correspondence is observed between the decrease and increase in fluorescence intensities of the neutral and monocation, respectively, in the pH range from 6 to 3. Proton-induced fluorescence quenching of neutral 2-AF is noticed in the pH range 3 to 1. pK_a and values were determined for different prototropic equilibria and are discussed.     

新型水溶性硫杂蒽酮类光引发剂的光化学性能研究

本文对8种水溶性硫杂蒽酮类光引发剂进行了紫外 可见光谱、荧光光谱以及电子自旋共振光谱(ESR)等测试。测定了最大吸收波长,计算了摩尔消光系数,荧光量子产率,测定了ESR信号强度等。并对其结构与光化学性能之间的关系进行了讨论。     

Enhancement of the fluorescence of the blue fluorescent proteins by high pressure or low temperature

Green fluorescent proteins bearing the Y66H mutation exhibit strongly blue-shifted fluorescence excitation and emission spectra. However, these blue fluorescent proteins (BFPs) have lower quantum yields of fluorescence (Phi(f) approximately 0.20), which is believed to stem from the increased conformational freedom of the smaller chromophore. We demonstrate that suppression of chromophore mobility by increasing hydrostatic pressure or by decreasing temperature can enhance the fluorescence quantum yield of these proteins without significantly affecting their absorption properties or the shape of the fluorescence spectra. Analysis of the fluorescence lifetimes in the picosecond and nanosecond regimes reveals that the enhancement of the fluorescence quantum yield is due to the inhibition of fast quenching processes. Temperature-dependent fluorescence measurements reveal two barriers ( approximately 19 and 3 kJ/mol, respectively) for the transition into nonfluorescing states. These steps are probably linked with dissociation of the hydrogen bond between the chromophore and His148 or an intervening water molecule and to the barrier for chromophore twisting in the excited state, respectively. The chromophore's hydrogen-bond equilibrium at room temperature is dominated by entropic effects, while below approximately 200 K the balance is enthalpy-driven.     

On the Influence of Higher Excited States on the ISC Quantum Yield of Octa-aL-alkyloxy-substituted Zn-Phthalocyanine Molecules Studied by Nonlinear Absorption

Abstract— Octa-aL-alkyloxy-substituted Zn-phthalocyanines are an interesting class of far red-absorbing photosensitizers. The chemical structure, the calculated steric conformation, the observed linear optical properties and an anomalous luminescence from a higher than S, excited state are reported. To study the optical properties of higher excited states and their occupation dynamics up to delay times of 15 ns we have carried out measurements of transient absorption spectra after 14 ps pulsed, resonant B-band and Q-band excitation. From these measurements the excited state singlet-singlet and triplet-triplet spectra as well as the intersystem crossing (ISC) quantum yields are obtained. The main result is an excitation wavelength-dependent ISC quantum yield that can be explained by an additional ISC channel between higher excited singlet and triplet states. The large rate of this channel is justified by the resonance between higher triplet states, observed in the triplet-triplet spectrum and the B, absorption band. Using kinetic model calculations, a lifetime of the higher excited singlet state of some picoseconds is predicted and the influence of a two-step absorption process on the population density of this higher excited singlet state is discussed.     

SINGLET OXYGEN GENERATION BY FUROCOUMARIN TRIPLET STATES—I. LINEAR FUROCOUMARINS (PSORALENS)

Abstract— Triplet extinction coefficients and hence singlet → triplet intersystem crossing quantum yields have been measured in benzene for a number of linear furocoumarins including pseudopsoralen, 5, 8-dimethoxypsoralen, 4, 5', 8-trimethylpsoralen and 3-carbethoxypseudopsoralen. These triplet yields were then used in conjunction with the corresponding quantum yields of singlet oxygen formation, measured in oxygenated solution, to estimate the fractions of furocoumarin triplets which when quenched by ground state oxygen produce singlet excited oxygen, similar data being obtained for psoralen, 5-methoxypsoralen, 8-methoxypsoralen and 3-carbethoxypsoralen. The superoxide anion radical was not detected from these oxygen quenching reactions, nor was a contribution to the singlet oxygen yield found from furocoumarin excited singlet state quenching by oxygen. The fraction of furocoumarin-oxygen quenching interactions leading to singlet oxygen varied between 0.13 (for 5, 8-dimethoxypsoralen) and unity (for 3-carbethoxypsoralen), and thus needs to be taken into account, as well as the triplet quantum yields, in assessing photobiological processes involving singlet oxygen.     

偶氮苯的光化学顺反异构化反应及其在光强测定中的应用

本文叙述了用偶氮苯露光计测定光强的原理。本方法也同样可用于测定A<﹦>B型光化学异构化反应的量子产率,设计了专用的计算机程序来处理在光强和量子产率的测定中的各种有关数据。