Assessment of water-soluble pi-extended squaraines as one- and two-photon singlet oxygen photosensitizers: design, synthesis, and characterization

Singlet oxygen sensitization by organic molecules is a topic of major interest in the development of both efficient photodynamic therapy (PDT) and aerobic oxidations under complete green chemistry conditions. We report on the design, synthesis, biology, and complete spectroscopic characterization (vis-NIR linear and two-photon absorption spectroscopy, singlet oxygen generation efficiencies for both one- and two-photon excitation, electrochemistry, intrinsic dark toxicity, cellular uptake, and subcellular localization) of three classes of innovative singlet oxygen sensitizers pertaining to the family of symmetric squaraine derivatives originating from pi-excessive heterocycles. The main advantage of pi-extended squaraine photosensitizers over the large number of other known photosensitizers is their exceedingly strong two-photon absorption enabling, together with sizable singlet oxygen sensitization capabilities, for their use at the clinical application relevant wavelength of 806 nm. We finally show encouraging results about the dark toxicity and cellular uptake capabilities of water-soluble squaraine photosensitizers, opening the way for clinical small animal PDT trials.     

方酸菁染料在有机太阳能电池中的研究进展

方酸菁作为一种重要的菁类染料,由于它在可见-近红外区有强烈的吸收和发射性质,以及良好的光热稳定性,使它在太阳能电池的研究中越来越受到重视.随着理论的不断完善,以及太阳能电池制作技术的成熟,方酸菁将在这一领域继续得到快速发展.综述了近年来方酸菁染料在染料敏化太阳能电池和本体异质结太阳能电池中的应用,从机理角度着重讨论了染料分子结构等因素对电池性能的影响,并提出了未来的研究方向.     

Aggregation properties of heavy atom substituted squaraine dyes: evidence for the formation of J-type dimer aggregates in aprotic solvents

The squaraine dye bis(2,4,6-trihydroxyphenyl)squaraine (SqH) was earlier reported to form J-type dimer aggregates in acetonitrile solutions at higher concentrations. Subsequent studies have suggested that concentration-dependent changes in the absorption spectrum of SqH in acetonitrile could be attributed to shifts in the acid-base equilibrium due to the presence of water as an impurity. In this work, we describe our studies on the effect of varying acid and dye concentration on the absorption spectra of the bromo and iodo substituted dyes, bis(3,5-dibromo-2,4,6-trihydroxyphenyl)squaraine (SqBr) and bis(3,5-diiodo-2,4,6-trihydroxyphenyl)squaraine (SqI). Analysis of the changes in the absorption spectra as a function of dye concentration and the nature of the solvent composition confirmed the formation of J-type dimer aggregates in aprotic solvents in this class of dyes. Further confirmation for the formation of the J-type dimer aggregates could be obtained by comparing the differences in the triplet excited state properties of the neutral and aggregated forms of the dyes using time-resolved spectroscopy.     

Aggregation-dependent photovoltaic properties of squaraine/PC61BM bulk heterojunctions

In this study, we investigated bulk-heterojunction solar cells composed of PC(61)BM and squaraine dyes with different donor subunits. Both, H- and J-aggregates, have been observed for the squaraine dyes in the mixture, even for the same dye depending on the annealing conditions of the blends. Supramolecular organization of the squaraine dyes noticeably affects solar cell performance. The J-aggregate exhibits a red-shift of the absorption maximum that results in a significant increase in the short-circuit current and decrease in the open-circuit voltage compared to the as-cast device. The H-aggregate shows a blue-shift in the absorption maximum and concomitantly only a moderate increase in the short-circuit current as well as an increase in the open-circuit voltage. The course of domain growth during annealing was monitored by local photocurrent mapping.     

Helicity Control in the Aggregation of Achiral Squaraine Dyes in Solution and Thin Films

Squaraine dyes are well known for their strong absorption in the visible regime. Reports on chiral squaraine dyes are, however, scarce. To address this gap, we here report two novel chiral squaraine dyes and their achiral counterparts. The presented dyes are aggregated in solution and in thin films. A detailed chiroptical study shows that thin films formed by co-assembling the chiral dye with its achiral counterpart exhibit exceptional photophysical properties. The circular dichroism (CD) of the co-assembled structures reaches a maximum when just 25 % of the chiral dye are present in the mixture. The solid structures with the highest relative CD effect are achieved when the chiral dye is used solely as a director, rather than the structural component. The chiroptical data are further supported by selected spin-filtering measurements using mc-AFM. These findings provide a promising platform for investigating the relationship between the dissymmetry of a supramolecular structure and emerging material properties rather than a comparison between a chiral molecular structure and an achiral counterpart.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Near‐Infrared Absorbing Water Soluble Squaraines and Study of their Photodynamic Effects in DLA Live Cells

Here, we report the synthesis, photophysical properties and photodynamic effects in DLA live cells of three water soluble squaraine dyes, viz. bisbenzothiazolium squaraine dyes SQMI and SQDI with iodine in one and both benzothiazolium units, respectively, and an unsymmetrical squaraine dye ASQI containing iodinated benzothiazolium and aniline substituents. The diiodinated SQDI showed an anomalous trend in both fluorescence and triplet quantum yields over the monoiodinated SQMI, with SQDI showing higher fluorescence and lower triplet quantum yields compared to SQMI. Nanosecond laser flash photolysis of SQDI and SQMI indicated the formation of triplet excited states with quantum yield of 0.19 and 0.26, respectively. On photoirradiation, both the SQDI and SQMI generate singlet oxygen and it was observed that both dyes undergoing oxidation reactions with the singlet oxygen generated. ASQI which exhibited a lower triplet quantum yield of 0.06 was, however, stable and did not react with the singlet oxygen generated. In vitro cytotoxicity studies of these dyes in DLA live cells were performed using Trypan blue dye exclusion method and it reflect an order of cytotoxicity of SQDI>SQMI>ASQI. Intracellular generation of the ROS was confirmed by dichlorofluorescein assay after the in vitro PDT.     

Synthesis of new cholesterol- and sugar-anchored squaraine dyes: further evidence of how electronic factors influence dye formation

[reaction: see text] Synthesis of new quinaldine-based squaraine dyes linked to cellular recognition elements that exhibit near-infrared absorption (>740 nm) are described. Both product analysis and theoretical calculations substantiate the interesting electronic effects of various substituents in the dye formation reaction. These results are useful in the synthesis of symmetrical and unsymmetrical squaraine dyes that can have potential biological and photodynamic therapeutical applications.     

方酸菁荧光探针的应用研究进展

功能性方酸菁染料具有独特的D-A-D共轭结构,其在可见光和近红外区域有强烈的吸收和荧光发射。方酸菁染料作为近红外荧光探针母体被应用于蛋白质、氨基酸、一些生物小分子、环境污染物及金属离子等的检测。本文结合课题组近几年工作综述了方酸菁染料在蛋白质、氨基酸、生物小分子、阳离子和其它物质检测方面的应用。     

Adsorption morphology,light absorption,and sensitization yields for squaraine dyes on SnS2 surfaces

The sensitization properties of two squaraine dyes adsorbed onto the van der Waals surface of n-doped tin disulfide single crystals were studied using atomic force microscopy (AFM), vis-NIR absorption spectroscopy, and photoelectrochemical techniques. Quantum yield per absorbed photon (QYAP) values of near unity were observed for submonolayer coverages of 2,4-bis(4-(N-methyl-N-hexylamino)phenyl)squaraine (1-6SQ) in aqueous electrolyte when a sufficiently positive bias was applied, demonstrating the advantages of SnS(2) as a photoanode for fundamental studies of dye sensitization. Islandlike and microcrystalline morphologies, associated with aggregate formation and revealed by AFM, could be correlated with spectral shifts in both the absorbance and photoaction spectra. A related dye, 2,4-bis(4-(N,N-dimethyl)-2-hydroxyphenyl)squaraine (1-1OHSQ), at similar coverages showed slightly lower QYAP, ascribed to a recombination path due to the different aggregate structures.     

Near-infrared fluorescent probes: synthesis and spectroscopic investigations of a few amphiphilic squaraine dyes

With the objective of developing near-infrared fluorescence probes for biological applications, a few squaraine dyes 3a-d, containing amphiphilic substituents, were synthesized and their photophysical properties have been investigated in the presence and absence of the organized media. These dyes exhibited absorption in the range 630-650 nm, with significant absorption coefficients (epsilon = 1-3 x 10(5) M(-1) cm(-1)) in the aqueous medium. The fluorescence spectra of these dyes showed emission maximum from 660 to 675 nm, depending on the nature of substituents. The fluorescence quantum yields were in the range from 0.15 to 0.21 in ethanol, but 10 times lower values were observed (phi(f) = 0.01-0.02) in the aqueous medium. In the presence of micelles such as cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, sodium dodecyl sulfate, and Triton X-100, these dyes showed negligible changes in their absorption properties, whereas a significant enhancement (5-10-folds) in their fluorescence yields was observed. Picosecond time-resolved studies indicated that these dyes show single-exponential decay in ethanol and ethanol-water mixtures; however, they exhibit biexponential decay with longer lifetimes in the presence of the micellar media. The results indicate that these novel amphiphilic squaraine dyes 3a-d, which exhibit favorable photophysical properties, good solubility in the aqueous medium, and interact efficiently with micelles, can have potential biological applications as near-infrared fluorescence sensors.     

Synthesis of novel quinaldine-based squaraine dyes: effect of substituents and role of electronic factors

[reaction: see text] Condensation of squaric acid with quinaldinium salts containing electron-donating substituents gave only the semisquaraines. However, with salts possessing electronegative and electron-withdrawing groups, the squaraine dyes were isolated in quantitative yields. The semisquaraines formed undergo condensation with highly nucleophilic salts yielding the unsymmetrical squaraine dyes. These results demonstrate the role of electronic factors and provide valuable information for the design of efficient squaraine-based sensitizers that can have potential applications in photodynamic therapy.     

Singlet oxygen generation ability of squarylium cyanine dyes

The quantum yields for singlet oxygen generation of several squarylium cyanine dyes derived from benzothiazole, benzoselenazole and quinoline, displaying absorption within the so-called “phototherapeutic window” (600–1000 nm), were determined, envisioning their potential usefulness for photodynamic therapy (PDT). The determination was performed by a direct method measuring the luminescence decay of the dyes in the near infrared. Considering the absorption and the quantum yields displayed by some of the dyes, these seemed to be potential candidates as sensitizers for PDT.     

Theoretical Study of Origin of Triple Fluorescences of a Squaraine Dye, Bis[4-(N,N-dimethylamino)phenyl]-squaraine

A new scheme of photo‐fluorescent emission origin, described as S₀ (relaxed state)→S_n (Frank‐Condon state)→ S_m (relaxed state)→S₀ (Frank‐Condon state), is presented to explain the multiple fluorescent emissions of squaraine dyes observed experimentally according to the configuration interaction singles calculations of relaxed excited states of a model compound, bis[4‐(N,N‐dimethylamino)phenyl]squaraine (SQ). It is exhibited that all triple fluorescent emissions of SQ have their significant origin in vertical electron transitions of different relaxed excited states. In addition, some important absorption peaks appearing in higher energy region are most likely to be responsible for the higher energy band observed in solid states of many squaraine dyes.     

Design and synthesis of squaraine based near infrared fluorescent probes

A novel class of dialkylanthracene containing squaraine dyes (Sq1-3) possessing intense absorption and emission in the NIR region has been synthesized. Structural and electronic features investigated using DFT methods suggest that the significant bathochromic shifts observed on replacing dialkylaniline by dialkylanthracene in this class of molecules can be attributed to a reduction in the HOMO-LUMO gap mainly due to enhanced hydrogen bonding between the carbonyl group of the cyclobutane ring and the neighboring aromatic hydrogen in the dyes containing the anthracene moiety. The absence of fluorescence in aqueous media and high fluorescence when encapsulated into hydrophobic domains make this class of dyes especially useful as probes for mapping such domains in biological systems.     

Bis(3,5-diiodo-2,4,6-trihydroxyphenyl)squaraine: a novel candidate in photodynamic therapy for skin cancer models in vivo

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is based on the light-induced activation of a photosensitizer generating highly reactive oxygen species that induce tissue destruction in malignant tissues. The present study was carried out to assess the photosensitizing potential of bis(3,5-diiodo-2,4,6-trihydroxyphenyl)squaraine in PDT trials in vivo. Male Swiss albino mice were divided into five groups. Skin tumor was induced using 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene - DMBA in the animals of Groups II, III, IV and V, while animals of Group I served as the control. At the completion of 20 weeks of induction, the tumor bearing mice from Group III, IV and V were given an intraperitoneal injection with the squaraine dye (12.5mg/kg body weight). After 24h, in the Group IV and V animals, the tumor area was exposed to visible light from a 1000W halogen lamp. The mice from groups I to IV were sacrificed two weeks after the PDT treatment and the marker enzymes (myeloperoxidase [MPO], beta-d-glucuronidase, rhodanese, lactate dehydrogenase [LDH], hexokinase, sialic acid and caspase) were assayed in tumor and normal tissues. Animals from Group V were sacrificed after 90 days of PDT treatment and the above parameters were recorded. Reduction in tumor volume and reversal of biochemical markers to near normal levels were observed in the treatment groups. The study assumes importance as it is the first report on PDT-a novel modality, using a squaraine dye for skin cancer therapy in vivo. The uniqueness of the mode of treatment lies in the selective uptake of squaraine dye by the cancer cells and their selective destruction using PDT without affecting the neighbouring normal cells, which is much advantageous over radiation therapy now frequently used. Also in skin cancer models, the progression/cure can be visualized by the naked eye which is another point of advantage, while seeking new modalities for the treatment of cancer.     

Self-assembly of fluorescent inclusion complexes in competitive media including the interior of living cells

Anthracene-containing tetralactam macrocycles are prepared and found to have an extremely high affinity for squaraine dyes in chloroform (log Ka = 5.2). Simply mixing the two components produces highly fluorescent, near-infrared inclusion complexes in quantitative yield. An X-ray crystal structure shows the expected hydrogen bonding between the squaraine oxygens and the macrocycle amide NH residues, and a high degree of cofacial aromatic stacking. The kinetics and thermodynamics of the assembly process are very sensitive to small structural changes in the binding partners. For example, a macrocycle containing two isophthalamide units associates with the squaraine dye in chloroform 400,000 times faster than an analogous macrocycle containing two 2,6-dicarboxamidopyridine units. Squaraine encapsulation also occurs in highly competitive media such as mixed aqueous/organic solutions, vesicle membranes, and the organelles within living cells. The highly fluorescent inclusion complexes possess emergent properties; that is, as compared to the building blocks, the complexes have improved chemical stabilities, red-shifted absorption/emission maxima, and different cell localization propensities. These are useful properties for new classes of near-infrared fluorescent imaging probes.     

Thermally-activated chemiluminescent squaraine rotaxane endoperoxide with green emission

A squaraine rotaxane endoperoxide with a truncated squaraine chromophore undergoes a cycloreversion reaction and emits green light that can be transferred to red acceptor dyes. The results demonstrate that chemiluminescence emission for squaraine rotaxane endoperoxides comes from the excited squaraine inside the rotaxane.     

Synthesis and Electronic Properties of 1,2‐Hemisquarimines and Their Encapsulation in a Cucurbit[7]uril Host

The synthesis of a new class of robust squaraine dyes, colloquially named 1,2‐hemisquarimines (1,2‐HSQiMs), through the microwave‐assisted condensation of aniline derivatives with the 1,2‐squaraine core is reported. In CH₃CN, 1,2‐HSQiMs show a broad absorption band with a high extinction coefficient and a maximum at around λ=530 nm, as well as an emission band centered at about λ=574 nm, that are pH dependent. Protonation of the imine nitrogen causes a redshift of both absorption and emission maxima, with a concomitant increase in the lifetime of the emitting excited state. Encapsulation of the chromophore into a cucurbit[7]uril host revealed fluorescence enhancement and increased photostability in water. The redox characteristics of 1,2‐HSQiMs indicate that charge injection into TiO₂ is possible; this opens up promising perspectives for their use as photosensitizers for solar energy conversion.     

Effective Amyloid Defibrillation by Polyhydroxyl‐Substituted Squaraine Dyes

With an objective to develop β‐amyloid destabilizing agents, we have investigated the interactions of a few water‐soluble near‐infrared (NIR)‐absorbing squaraine dyes 1 – 3 with lysozyme and its amyloid aggregates through photophysical and biophysical techniques. These dyes exhibited strong interactions with lysozyme and β‐amyloids in addition to serum albumins as evidenced by the absorption and emission changes. The interactions were found to be spontaneous with association constant values in the range of approximately 10⁴–10⁵ m ^?1, as confirmed through half‐reciprocal analysis and isothermal calorimetric measurements. Uniquely, such effective interactions of the dyes have led to the complete disassembly of the β‐amyloid fibrillar structures to form spherical particles approximately 350 nm in size, as confirmed through photophysical, thioflavin assay, circular dichroism (CD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), TEM, and selected‐area electron diffraction (SAED) techniques. These results demonstrate that the squaraine dyes 1 – 3 under investigation act as effective protein‐labelling and destabilizing agents of the protein amyloidogenesis.     

A graphene binding-promoted fluorescence enhancement for bovine serum albumin recognition

Chemically converted graphene (CCG) was found to greatly enhance the fluorescence response of squaraine (SQ) dyes to bovine serum albumin (BSA). Addition of BSA to the SQ-CCG solution, where squaraine dyes absorbed on the CCG surface, raised the fluorescence intensity by as much as 80 fold.