Regioselectivity and Competition of the Paternò–Büchi Reaction and Triplet–Triplet Energy Transfer between Triplet Benzophenones and Pyrimidines: Control by Triplet Energy Levels

The photochemical reaction of a pyrimidine and a ketone occurs either as a Paternò–Büchi (PB) reaction or as energy transfer (ET) from the triplet ketone to the pyrimidine. It is rare for the two types of reactions to occur concurrently, and their competitive mechanism remains unknown. In this work, two classes of products, regioisomeric oxetane(s) ( 2 , 3 ) from a PB reaction and three isomeric dimers of 5‐fluoro‐1,3‐dimethyl uracil (FDMU) ( 4 – 6 ) from a photosensitized dimerization of FDMU, are obtained through the UV irradiation of FDMU with various benzophenones (BPs). The ratio of the two products (oxetanes to dimers) reveals that the two competitive reactions depend strongly on the triplet energy levels (E_T) of the BPs. The BPs with higher E_T values lead to higher proportions of dimers, whereas those with lower E_T values give higher proportions of oxetane(s), with the generation of just two regioisomeric oxetanes for the BP with the lowest E_T of the eight BPs investigated. The ratio of the two oxetanes ( 2 : 3 ) decreases with the BP E_T value. The competitive mechanism for the two types of photochemical reactions is demonstrated through quenching experiments and investigation of temperature effects. Kinetic analysis shows that the rate constants of the two [2+2] photocycloadditions are comparable. Furthermore, in combination with the results of previous studies, we have gained insight into the dependence of the photochemical type and the regioselectivity in the PB reaction on the triplet energy gaps (ΔE) between the pyrimidines and ketones. For ketones with higher E_T values than the pyrimidines, the photochemical reaction is a photosensitized dimerization of the pyrimidine. In the opposite case, a PB reaction occurs, and the lower the E_T of the ketones, the lower the ratio of oxetanes ( 2 : 3 ). When the E_T of values of the ketones are close to those of the pyrimidines, the two reactions occur concurrently, and the higher the E_T of the ketones, the higher the proportion of the dimers. The ratio of oxetanes ( 2 : 3 ) decreases with the E_T value of the BPs.     

DNA Photosensitization by an “Insider”: Photophysics and Triplet Energy Transfer of 5‐Methyl‐2‐pyrimidone Deoxyribonucleoside

The main chromophore of (6‐4) photoproducts, namely, 5‐methyl‐2‐pyrimidone (Pyo), is an artificial noncanonical nucleobase. This chromophore has recently been reported as a potential photosensitizer that induces triplet damage in thymine DNA. In this study, we investigate the spectroscopic properties of the Pyo unit embedded in DNA by means of explicit solvent molecular‐dynamics simulations coupled to time‐dependent DFT and quantum‐mechanics/molecular‐mechanics techniques. Triplet‐state transfer from the Pyo to the thymine unit was monitored in B‐DNA by probing the propensity of this photoactive pyrimidine analogue to induce a Dexter‐type triplet photosensitization and subsequent DNA damage.     

Solvent-Dependent Stabilization of a Charge Transfer State is the Key to Ultrafast Triplet State Formation in an Epigenetic DNA Nucleoside

2’-Deoxy-5-formylcytidine (5fdCyd), a naturally occurring nucleoside found in mammalian DNA and mitochondrial RNA, exhibits important epigenetic functionality in biological processes. Because it efficiently generates triplet excited states, it is an endogenous photosensitizer capable of damaging DNA, but the intersystem crossing (ISC) mechanism responsible for ultrafast triplet state generation is poorly understood. In this study, time-resolved mid-IR spectroscopy and quantum mechanical calculations reveal the distinct ultrafast ISC mechanisms of 5fdCyd in water versus acetonitrile. Our experiment indicates that in water, ISC to triplet states occurs within 1 ps after 285 nm excitation. PCM-TD-DFT computations suggest that this ultrafast ISC is mediated by a singlet state with significant cytosine-to-formyl charge-transfer (CT) character. In contrast, ISC in acetonitrile proceeds via a dark ¹nπ* state with a lifetime of ∼3 ps. CT-induced ISC is not favored in acetonitrile because reaching the minimum of the gateway CT state is hampered by intramolecular hydrogen bonding, which enforces planarity between the aldehyde group and the aromatic group. Our study provides a comprehensive picture of the non-radiative decay of 5fdCyd in solution and new insights into the factors governing ISC in biomolecules. We propose that the intramolecular CT state observed here is a key to the excited-state dynamics of epigenetic nucleosides with modified exocyclic functional groups, paving the way to study their effects in DNA strands.     

Generation of the Thymine Triplet State by Through-Bond Energy Transfer

Benzophenone (BP) and drugs containing the BP chromophore, such as the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug ketoprofen, have been widely reported as DNA photosensitizers through triplet–triplet energy transfer (TTET). In the present work, a direct spectroscopic fingerprint for the formation of the thymine triplet (³Thy*) by through-bond (TB) TTET from ³BP* has been uncovered. This has been achieved in two new systems that have been designed and synthesized with one BP and one thymine (Thy) covalently linked to the two ends of the rigid skeleton of the natural bile acids cholic and lithocholic acid. The results shown here prove that it is possible to achieve triplet energy transfer to a Thy unit even when the photosensitizer is at a long (nonbonding) distance.     

Remote Sensitized Photoisomerization via Through‐Bond Triplet–Triplet Energy Transfer Mediated by a Salt Bridge in a Supramolecular Dyad

A supramolecular dyad, BP‐(amidinium‐carboxylate)‐NBD is constructed, in which benzophenone (BP) and norbornadiene (NBD) are connected via an amidinium‐carboxylate salt bridge. The photophysical and photochemical properties of the assembled BP‐(amidinium‐carboxylate)‐NBD dyad are examined. The phosphorescence of the BP chromophore is efficiently quenched by the NBD group in BP‐(amidinium‐carboxylate)‐NBD via the salt bridge. Time‐resolved spectroscopy measurements indicate that the lifetime of the BP triplet state in BP‐(amidinium‐carboxylate)‐NBD is shortened due to the quenching by the NBD group. Selective excitation of the BP chromophore results in isomerization of the NBD group to quadricyclane (QC). All of these observations suggest that the triplet–triplet energy transfer occurs efficiently in the BP‐(amidinium‐carboxylate)‐NBD salt bridge system. The triplet–triplet energy transfer process proceeds with efficiencies of approximately 0.87, 0.98 and the rate constants 1.8×10³ s^?1, and 1.3×10⁷ s^?1 at 77 K and room temperature, respectively. The mechanism for the triplet–triplet energy transfer is proposed to proceed via a “through‐bond” electron exchange process, and the non‐covalent bonds amidinium‐carboxylate salt bridge can mediate the triplet–triplet energy transfer process effectively for photochemical conversion.     

Theoretical Investigation of the Coupling between Hydrogen‐Atom Transfer and Stacking Interaction in Adenine–Thymine Dimers

Three different dimers of the adenine–thymine (A‐T) base pair are studied to point out the changes of important properties (structure, atomic charge, energy and so on) induced by coupling between the movement of the atoms in the hydrogen bonds and the stacking interaction. The comparison of these results with those for the A‐T monomer system explains the role of the stacking interaction in the hydrogen‐atom transfer in this biologically important base pair. The results support the idea that this coupling depends on the exact dimer considered and is different for the N? N and N? O hydrogen bonds. In particular, the correlation between the hydrogen transfer and the stacking interaction is more relevant for the N? N bridge than for the N? O one. Also, the two different mechanisms of two‐hydrogen transfer (step by step and concerted) can be modified by the stacking interaction between the base pairs.     

Substituent Effects on Photosensitized Splitting of Thymine Cyclobutane Dimer by an Attached Indole

In chromophore‐containing cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer (CPD) model systems, solvent effects on the splitting efficiency may depend on the length of the linker, the molecular conformation, and the oxidation potential of the donor. To further explore the relationship between chromophore structure and splitting efficiency, we prepared a series of substituted indole–T<>T model compounds 2 a – 2 g and measured their splitting quantum yields in various solvents. Two reverse solvent effects were observed: an increase in splitting efficiency in solvents of lower polarity for models 2 a – 2 d with an electron‐donating group (EDG), and vice versa for models 2 e – 2 g with an electron‐withdrawing group (EWG). According to the Hammett equation, the negative value of the slope of the Hammett plot indicates that the indole moiety during the T<>T‐splitting reaction loses negative charge, and the larger negative value implies that the repair reaction is more sensitive to substituent effects in low‐polarity solvents. The EDGs of the models 2 a – 2 d can delocalize the charge‐separated state, and low‐polarity solvents make it more stable, which leads to higher splitting efficiency in low‐polarity solvents. Conversely, the EWGs of models 2 e – 2 g favor destabilization of the charge‐separated state, and high‐polarity solvents decrease the destabilization and hence lead to more efficient splitting in high‐polarity solvents.     

Photoinduced Triplet–Triplet Energy Transfer in a 2‐Ureido‐4(1H)‐Pyrimidinone‐Bridged,Quadruply Hydrogen‐Bonded Ferrocene–Fullerene Assembly

2‐Ureido‐4(1H)‐pyrimidinone‐bridged ferrocene–fullerene assembly I is designed and synthesized for elaborating the photoinduced electron‐transfer processes in self‐complementary quadruply hydrogen‐bonded modules. Unexpectedly, steady‐state and time‐resolved spectroscopy reveal an inefficient electron‐transfer process from the ferrocene to the singlet or triplet excited state of the fullerene, although the electron‐transfer reactions are thermodynamically feasible. Instead, an effective intra‐assembly triplet–triplet energy‐transfer process is found to be operative in assembly I with a rate constant of 9.2×10⁵ s^?1 and an efficiency of 73 % in CH₂Cl₂ at room temperature.     

Triplet–Triplet Energy Transfer from a UV‐A Absorber Butylmethoxydibenzoylmethane to UV‐B Absorbers

The phosphorescence decay of a UV‐A absorber, 4‐tert‐butyl‐4′‐methoxydibenzolymethane (BMDBM) has been observed following a 355 nm laser excitation in the absence and presence of UV‐B absorbers, 2‐ethylhexyl 4‐methoxycinnamate (octyl methoxycinnamate, OMC) and octocrylene (OCR) in ethanol at 77 K. The lifetime of the lowest excited triplet (T₁) state of BMDBM is significantly reduced in the presence of OMC and OCR. The observed quenching of BMDBM triplet by OMC and OCR suggests that the intermolecular triplet–triplet energy transfer occurs from BMDBM to OMC and OCR. The T₁ state of OCR is nonphosphorescent or very weakly phosphorescent. However, we have shown that the energy level of the T₁ state of OCR is lower than that of the enol form of BMDBM. Our methodology of energy‐donor phosphorescence decay measurements can be applied to the study of the triplet–triplet energy transfer between UV absorbers even if the energy acceptor is nonphosphorescent. In addition, the delayed fluorescence of BMDBM due to triplet–triplet annihilation was observed in the BMDBM–OMC and BMDBM–OCR mixtures in ethanol at 77 K. Delayed fluorescence is one of the deactivation processes of the excited states of BMDBM under our experimental conditions.     

Duplex Stabilization and Energy Transfer in Zipper Porphyrin–DNA

Zip it up : Attachment of porphyrins onto complementary DNA strands leads to zipper‐porphyrin arrays and, in the presence of eleven modifications, an increase in the melting temperature of the duplex. Mixed zinc and free‐base porphyrin arrays undergo energy transfer from the zinc porphyrin to the free‐base porphyrin in the annealed duplex but not in the denatured form (see scheme), giving access to reversible formation of potential photonic wires.

     

Elucidation of the Dexter‐Type Energy Transfer in DNA by Thymine–Thymine Dimer Formation Using Photosensitizers as Artificial Nucleosides

C‐nucleosides of 4‐methylbenzophenone, 4‐methoxybenzophenone, and 2′‐methoxyacetophenone were synthetically incorporated as internal photosensitizers into DNA double strands. This structurally new approach makes it possible to study the distance dependence of thymidine dimer formation because the site of photoinduced triplet energy transfer injection is clearly defined. The counterstrands to these modified strands lacked the phosphodiester bond between the two adjacent thymidines that are supposed to react with each other. Their dimerization could be evidenced by gel electrophoresis because the covalent connection by cyclobutane formation between the two thymidines changes the mobility. A shallow exponential distance dependence for the formation of thymidine dimers over up to 10 A‐T base pairs was observed that agrees with a Dexter‐type triplet–triplet energy transfer mechanism. Concomitantly, a significant amount of photoinduced DNA crosslinking was observed.     

Mapping the Excited‐State Potential Energy Surface of a Photomolecular Motor

A detailed understanding of the operation and efficiency of unidirectional photomolecular rotary motors is essential for their effective exploitation in molecular nanomachines. Unidirectional motion relies on light‐driven conversion from a stable ( 1 a ) to a metastable ( 1 b ) conformation, which then relaxes through a thermally driven helix inversion in the ground state. The excited‐state surface has thus far only been experimentally characterised for 1 a . Here we probe the metastable, 1 b , excited state, utilising ultrafast transient absorption and femtosecond stimulated Raman spectroscopy. These reveal that the “dark” excited‐state intermediate between 1 a and 1 b has a different lifetime and structure depending on the initial ground‐state conformation excited. This suggests that the reaction coordinate connecting 1 a to 1 b differs to that for the reverse photochemical process. The result is contrasted with earlier calculations.     

Watson–Crick Base Pairing Controls Excited‐State Decay in Natural DNA

Excited‐state dynamics are essential to understanding the formation of DNA lesions induced by UV light. By using femtosecond IR spectroscopy, it was possible to determine the lifetimes of the excited states of all four bases in the double‐stranded environment of natural DNA. After UV excitation of the DNA duplex, we detected a concerted decay of base pairs connected by Watson–Crick hydrogen bonds. A comparison of single‐ and double‐stranded DNA showed that the reactive charge‐transfer states formed in the single strands are suppressed by base pairing in the duplex. The strong influence of the Watson–Crick hydrogen bonds indicates that proton transfer opens an efficient decay path in the duplex that prohibits the formation or reduces the lifetime of reactive charge‐transfer states.     

Activation of a Photodissociative Ruthenium Complex by Triplet–Triplet Annihilation Upconversion in Liposomes

Liposomes capable of generating photons of blue light in situ by triplet–triplet annihilation upconversion of either green or red light, were prepared. The red‐to‐blue upconverting liposomes were capable of triggering the photodissociation of ruthenium polypyridyl complexes from PEGylated liposomes using a clinical grade photodynamic therapy laser source (630 nm).     

White Luminescence from Multiple‐Dye‐Doped Electrospun DNA Nanofibers by Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer

A DNA spin‐off : Electrospinning of DNA complexes gives nanofibers with a highly ordered morphology that allows homogeneous distribution of encapsulated multiple chromophores. The emission color can be controlled by suitable choice of the donor–acceptor pair and the doping ratio. Pure white‐light emission from nanofibers is demonstrated (see picture).