Bifunctional fluorescent calix[4]arene chemosensor for both a cation and an anion

[reaction: see text] A new fluorogenic cone calix[4]triazacrown-5 (1) bearing two pyrene amide groups and its structural analogue 2 have been prepared. Excited at 343 nm, 1 and 2 reveal excimer emissions at 448 and 472 nm, respectively. When heavy metal ions such as Pb(2+) and Co(2+) are bound to 1, the fluorescence intensities of both monomer and excimer are quenched whereas H bonding-assisted F(-) binding to 1 gives rise to a quenched monomer emission with little excimer emission change.     

Ratiometry of monomer/excimer emissions of dipyrenyl calix[4]arene in aqueous media

Variations in the ratio of monomer/excimer emissions from pyrenyl groups bound to a calix[4]arene through facing carboxamidomethyl substituents have been investigated in H₂O/CH₃CN mixtures. Above a level of 50% H₂O, monomer emission declines and the excimer emission concomitantly increases. DFT calculations support the argument that disruption of intramolecular NHO bonds by water results in a geometry, which favors contact of the pyrene units and thus a strong excimer emission. Addition of Fe(III) to a H₂O/CH₃CN (4:1, v/v) solution of 1 at pH 6.1 quenches both monomer and excimer emissions through electron transfer (eT) from excited pyrene to the metal ion.     

Reaction-based Hg signaling by excimer–monomer switching of a bis-pyrene dithioacetal

A novel reaction-based probe for fluorescence signaling of Hg²⁺ ions was developed. Selective Hg²⁺-induced cleavage of a dithioacetal resulting in switching from pyrene excimer to monomer emission was used for the signaling. Changes in excimer and monomer emissions of pyrene were readily employed for ratiometric signaling of Hg²⁺ ions in aqueous acetonitrile. Selective signaling of Hg²⁺ ions over other common metal ions was observed with a detection limit of 9.8 × 10⁻⁷ M.     

Effects of metal cation coordination on fluorescence properties of a diethylenetriamine bearing two end pyrene fragments

Fluorescence properties of a diethylenetriamine bearing two end pyrene fragments (L) have been studied in water, where effects of adding metal cations (Zn2+, Cd2+, Cu2+, Hg2+, Ag+) on the emission properties of L have been studied. Without metal cations, L shows dual-mode fluorescence consisting of monomer and excimer emissions. The monomer emission intensity (I(M)) is strong at acidic pH but decreases with a pH increase because of an electron transfer (ET) from the unprotonated nitrogen atoms to the excited pyrene fragment. The excimer emission is due to the static excimer formed via a direct photoexcitation of the intramolecular ground-state dimer (GSD) of the end pyrene fragments. The excimer emission intensity (I(E)) is weak at acidic pH but increases with a pH increase because of the GSD stability increase associated with the deprotonation of the polyamine chain. Addition of metal cations leads to I(M) decrease, where chelation-driven I(M) enhancement does not occur even with diamagnetic Zn2+ and Cd2+ at any pH. This is because a pyrene-metal cation pi-complex, formed via a donation of pi-electron of the pyrene fragment to the adjacent metal center, suppresses the monomer photoexcitation. I(E) also decreases upon addition of metal cations because the pyrene-metal cation pi-complex weakens pi-stacking interaction of the end pyrene fragments, leading to GSD stability decrease. The emission properties of L-Zn2+ complexes were studied by means of time-resolved fluorescence decay measurements, and the effects of adding a less-polar organic solvent were also studied to clarify the detailed emission properties.     

Indium(III)-induced fluorescent excimer formation and extinction in calix[4]arene-fluoroionophores

New fluorogenic or/and chromogenic calix[4]arenes 1-3 with two facing amide groups linked to fluorescent pyrene units are synthesized. Orientations of the pyrene units are remote from each other in 1 and face-to-face pi-stacked in 2, which produces different photophysical properties. In the excited state, the two pyrene units of 2 form a strong intramolecular excimer displaying an emission at 472 nm with a relatively weak monomer emission at 395 nm. In contrast, 1 exhibits only a monomer emission at 398 nm because intramolecular hydrogen bonding between the phenolic OH oxygens and the amide hydrogens prevents pi-stacking of the two pyrene groups. Fluorescence changes upon addition of various metal ions show that 1 has a remarkably high selectivity for In(3+) over the other metal ions tested. Compound 1 forms 2:1 (metal:ligand), as well as 1:1 complexes, with In(3+), with fluorescence varying uniquely with the complex stoichiometry. Compound 3, which possess two pyrene units and two chromogenic azo groups, shows almost the same binding behavior toward metal ions as does 1, together with additional bathochromic shifts of the absorption maximum. Compared with 1, compound 3 emits a considerably weaker fluorescence, which is attributed to electron transfer from the pyrene units to the nitro groups of the phenylazo moieties.     

Synthesis,supramolecular complexation and DFTstudies of a bis(pyrene)-appended ‘capped’ triazole-linked calix[4]arene as Zn2+ and Cd2+ fluorescent chemosensors

ABSTRACT

A new bimodal triazole-bridged pyrene-appended calix[4]arene 2g has been synthesised and characterised and complexation studies showed that the binding of Cd²⁺ and Zn²⁺ occurs as demonstrated by enhanced monomer and declining excimer emission fluorescence spectral changes. With several other metal ions, quenching of both monomer and excimer emissions occurred. The observed monomer formation in the fluorescence spectra seen with Zn²⁺ and Cd²⁺ is possibly linked not just to the diminished parallel orientations of the pyrene rings but with the magnitude of the resulting HOMO-LUMO gaps and other parameters measured by DFT calculations.     

Fluorometric sensing of alkaline Earth metal cations by new lariat ethers having plural pyrenylmethyl groups on the electron-donating sidearms

[structure: see text] New fluorescent compounds (1), lariat ethers having plural pyrenylmethyl groups on the sidearms, were prepared, and their complexation behavior with alkaline earth metal cations was examined by fluorescence spectrometry. The pyrene excimer emission decreased accompanied with an increase in the monomer emission upon complexation with the metal ion. This finding is ascribed to the cooperative participation of one of the two sidearms in the complexation of the crown ring with the metal ion.     

Fluorescence Switches Triggered by Metal Ions

Molecular switches 1 with a modular architecture whose functional principle is based on conformational changes around two acetylene axes were developed. By systematic screening of various metal ions, it was found that especially Pb²⁺ ions effectively trigger the switching event. The reporting of this event takes place by the change of the ratio between excimer and monomer fluorescence emission of two pyrene moieties.     

Fluorescent ratiometry of tetrahomodioxacalix[4]arene pyrenylamides upon cation complexation

[structure: see text] C-1,2-alternate tetrahomodioxacalix[4]arene pyreneamides were synthesized. Pb(2+) coordination gave a quenched monomer and excimer fluorescence emission, while upon Ca(2+) ion binding, the receptor provides an enhanced excimer and declined monomer emission with ratiometric response. The excimer emission spectra changes are rationalized by frontier molecular orbitals that the effective Py-Py interaction induces emission intensity increases upon Ca(2+) ion complexation, whereas there is no such interaction observed upon Pb(2+) binding.     

Ratiometric determination of Hg2+ ions based on simple molecular motifs of pyrene and dioxaoctanediamide

A new podand-type dioxaoctanediamide-based chemosensor having two pyrene moieties was prepared, and its fluoroionophoric behaviors toward transition-metal ions were investigated. Pyrene-appended dioxaoctanediamide 1 showed a selective fluorescence quenching toward Hg2+ ions over other transition-metal ions in an aqueous methanol solution. Unique responses in pyrene monomer and excimer emissions allowed selective ratiometric determination of Hg2+ ions in aqueous environments, and the detection limit was found to be 1.6 x 10(-6) M. [structure: see text]     

Cu2+-induced blue shift of the pyrene excimer emission: a new signal transduction mode of pyrene probes

A pentiptycene-bispyrenyl system (1) has been synthesized and investigated as a fluorescent chemosensor for metal ions. A novel blue shift along with an intensity enhancement of the pyrene excimer emission is observed for 1 in the presence of Cu(2+). Such a new signal transduction mode of pyrene probes results from the formation of a static pyrene excimer that has very different characteristics from its dynamic counterpart.     

A calixarene based fluorescent Sr2+ and Ca2+ probe

A fluorescent probe, PyCalix, which has two pyrene moieties at the lower rim of a calix[4]arene fixed in the cone conformation was synthesized and its complexation behavior with alkali and alkaline earth cations was studied by fluorescence spectrometry. The compound showed intramolecular excimer emission at approximately 480 nm in the fluorescence spectra. Upon complexation with alkaline earth metal cations, a decrease of excimer emission was observed. The decrease of excimer emission was accompanied by an increase of monomer emission of pyrenes at 397 nm. The order of complexation constants of PyCalix with metal ions was Sr(+ approximately Ca2+ > Ba2+ > Mg2+ > K+ > Na+ > Cs+ for all reagents. PyCalix doped polyvinyl chloride (PVC) membrane was fabricated and our results showed that this membrane can be used for selective detection of Sr2+.     

Intramolecular charge transfer in 1:1 Cu(II)/pyrenylcyclam dendrimer complexes

Two newly synthesized pyrenylcyclam dendrons (1 and 2) exhibit a new emission band centered at 450 nm when coordinated with copper triflate. Observed fluorescence shifts induced by coordinative metalation indicate an unusual intramolecular charge transfer from a pyrenyl excited state to the coordinated metal ion that competes with pyrene excimer formation. This interaction likely proceeds by photoexcitation of pi-complex of the appended arene, followed by intramolecular charge transfer within the dendritic 1:1 cyclam/metal complex, effecting reduction of the bound Cu(II) metal ion. The appended dendritic groups not only decrease the equilibrium binding constant with Cu(II) but also participate in a new excited-state pathway as an alternative to energy-dissipative excimer formation.     

Synthesis of double-armed lariat ethers with pyrene moieties at each end of two sidearms and their fluorescence properties in the presence of alkali metal and alkaline earth metal cations

Two types of double-armed lariat ether derivatives having pyrene moieties at each end of two sidearms, (3x + 1)-crown-x derivatives 1 (x = 5), 2 (x = 6), and 3 (x = 4) (type A) and 3y-crown-y derivatives, 6 (y = 5) and 7 (y = 6) (type B), were synthesized, and their complexation behavior toward alkali metal and alkaline earth metal cations was examined by fluorescence spectroscopy. Pyrene excimer emission decreased accompanied by an increase in monomer emission upon metal ion complexation. This finding is ascribed to the change of the spatial distance of two pyrene rings by movement suppression of both the crown ring and one of the two sidearms based on complexation with the metal cation. The selectivity for alkaline earth metal cations was highly dependent on the fitness of the host cavity and the guest size. Although most of the fluorophores did not respond to alkali metal cations, only trans-7a containing an 18-crown-6 ring showed K(+) selectivity.     

A PCT-based, pyrene-armed calix[4]crown fluoroionophore

A photoinduced charge transfer (PCT)-based 1,3-alternate calix[4]crown fluoroionophore containing two cation recognition sites, a crown ether ring and two facing pyreneamide groups, is synthesized. Upon addition of K+, Pb2+, or Cu2+, wavelength changes are observed in both the fluorescence and absorption spectra, but with different binding modes. With K+, fluorescence emissions of the ligand scarcely change, while addition of Pb2+ or Cu2+ produces a remarkable change in both the excimer and monomer emissions. The observed data indicate that the metal cation is encapsulated in the crown-5 ring for K+ and by the two facing amide groups in the latter case, which is verified by a metal ion exchange experiment. The wavelength shifts in both fluorescence and absorption spectra upon addition of Cu2+ show that, in contrast to Pb2+, Cu2+ interacts with the nitrogen atoms of the amide groups, resulting in a PCT mechanism.     

Fluorescence emission control and switching of oxymethylcrowned spirobenzopyrans by metal ion

Oxymethylcrowned spirobenzopyran 1 and pyrenylspirobenzopyran 2 were synthesized, and fluorescence emission of their corresponding merocyanine form was examined in the presence of metal ions. For 2, fluorescence emission derived from the pyrene moiety was completely quenched by photoinduced electron transfer (PET) of the nitrogen atom when the merocyanine form was not produced, namely, without metal ions. However, when 2 was converted to the merocyanine form by the complexation of its crown ether with a metal ion, fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) from the pyrene to the merocyanine moieties took place to produce fluorescence emission. This result demonstrates that the spirobenzopyran isomerization can function as a fluorescence emission switch. Fluorescence quantum yield measurement for 1 and 2 showed that fluorescence emission depends on the binding metal ion in which the fluorescence quantum yield generally increased with the increase of metal ion radius.     

Highly selective fluorescent chemosensor for Na<Superscript>+</Superscript> based on pyrene-modified calix[4]arene derivative

A novel calix[4]arene derivative with pyrene fluorophores at the upper rim and tetraester ionophores at the lower rim was synthesized in six steps, and its structure was proved by NMR and ESI-MS spectroscopies. Furthermore, the chemosensing behavior of the host compound for alkali and alkaline earth metal ions was investigated by fluorescence spectroscopy. The obtained results show that the calixarene host can selectively bind sodium ion with the complexation stability constant of 2190 mol⁻¹·L. The complexation with sodium ion can pronouncedly induce the excimer emission to decrease and the monomer emission to increase, whereas the addition of the other alkali and alkaline earth metal ions does not cause appreciable changes in the fluorescence spectrum of the host compound. The present calix[4]arene derivative displays potential application as fluorescent chemosensor for sodium ion. Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 20421202, 20673061 & 20703025) and the 111 Project (Grant No. B06005)     

Solvent-driven multiply configurable on/off fluorescent indicator of the pH window: a diethylenetriamine bearing two end pyrene fragments

Fluorescence behaviors of a simple-structured molecule (L), a diethylenetriamine bearing two end pyrene fragments, have been investigated in water. Effects of adding a less-polar organic solvent (acetonitrile: MeCN) on the emission behaviors have been studied by means of steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence measurements. L dissolved in water shows dual-mode fluorescence consisting of monomer and excimer emissions. The monomer emission shows an "on-off" intensity profile against the pH window (pH 2-12), whereas the excimer emission shows an "off-on" profile. Upon MeCN addition, the monomer emission maintains the "on-off" profile. In contrast, the "off-on" profile of the excimer emission is drastically changed: L shows two more types of profiles, "off-on-off-on" and "off-on-off", along with the MeCN concentration increase, thus behaving as a multiply configurable fluorescent indicator of the pH window. The MeCN-driven excimer emission switching of L is triggered by (i) the decrease in stability of the intramolecular ground-state dimer (GSD) formed between the end pyrene fragments, which suppresses the direct photoexcitation of GSD (suppression of the "static" excimer formation), leading to a decrease in the excimer emission intensity at basic pH; and (ii) the decrease in polarity of solution, which allows formation of a "dynamic" excimer via a monomer-to-excimer transition, resulting in an enhancement of the excimer emission intensity at acidic-neutral pH.     

Spacer Length Effect on the Photoinduced Electron Transfer Fluorescent Probe for Alkali Metal Ions

Abstract— We have synthesized four derivatives of aikyi pyrene covalently bonded to aza-lS-crown-6 at the nitrogen position, Py(CH₂)_n, (n = 1–4), to study the effect of spacer length on the emission properties of pyrene fluorophore upon complication of alkali metal ions by the crown moiety. In the absence of alkali metal ions, the parent molecule is weakly fluorescent because its emission is partially quenched by photoinduced electron transfer (PET) from nitrogen lone pairs to the excited singlet state of pyrene. Complication of alkali metal ions (e.g. K⁺) by the crown moiety prevents the nitrogen lone pair from participating in PET and results in an enhancement in the observed emission from pyrene (fluorescent turn on). Because the PET effect could be exerted through bonds as well as space, its magnitude may show a dependence on chain length. We have examined the fluorescence behavior of these pyrene aza-crown ether derivatives in the presence of alkali metal ions to determine the magnitude of such an effect and its impact on the sensitivity of the fluorescent probe for detection purposes. Our results indicate that maximum efficiency for PET between the pyrene moiety and aza-crown ether is achieved when n ≤ 3.     

Pyrene-linked triazole-modified homooxacalix[3]arene: a unique C3 symmetry ratiometric fluorescent chemosensor for Pb2+

A new type of fluorescent chemosensor based on homooxacalix[3]arene was synthesized. The fluorescent sensor was highly selective for Pb(2+) in comparison with other metal ions tested by enhancement of the monomer emission of pyrene. The C(3) symmetric structure of homooxacalix[3]arene has potential application in the development of a new ratiometric fluorescent chemosensor for heavy metal ions.