Insights into the isomerization of photochromic oxazines from the excitation dynamics of BODIPY-oxazine dyads

We synthesized five BODIPY-oxazine dyads in one to four synthetic steps from known precursors. They differ in the nature of the unsaturated spacer linking the oxazine photochrome to either the conjugated framework or the boron center of the BODIPY fluorophore. Despite the π-character of the linkers, the two functional components are electronically isolated in the ground state and the BODIPY fluorophore maintains its absorption and, with one exception, emission properties unaltered. Instead, the photochemical response of the photochromic component is completely suppressed within all dyads. Rather than the expected opening of the oxazine ring, the laser excitation of these molecular assemblies results in the effective population of the BODIPY triplet in four of the five dyads. Control experiments with appropriate model compounds indicate that the local excitation of the oxazine component results first in intersystem crossing and then energy transfer to the BODIPY component. In fact, the transfer of energy from the triplet state of the former to the triplet state of the latter competes successfully with the opening of the oxazine ring and prevents the isomerization of the photochromic component. These observations demonstrate, for the very first time, that the photoinduced opening of these photochromic oxazines occurs along the potential energy surface of their triplet state. Such valuable mechanistic insights into their excitation dynamics can guide the design of novel members of this family of photochromic compounds with improved photochemical properties.     

Plasmonic Activation of a Fluorescent Carbazole–Oxazine Switch

The covalent attachment of a carbazole fluorophore to an oxazine photochrome permits the reversible activation of fluorescence under optical control. Ultraviolet irradiation with a pulsed laser opens the oxazine ring to shift bathochromically the absorption of the carbazole component. Concomitant visible illumination excites selectively the carbazole fluorophore of the photochemical product to produce fluorescence. The photogenerated and fluorescent species reverts spontaneously on a submicrosecond timescale to the initial nonemissive state of the carbazole–oxazine dyad. The photochemical and photophysical properties engineered into this particular molecular switch allow the convenient monitoring of plasmonic effects on photochemical reactions with fluorescence measurements. In close proximity to silver nanoparticles, visible illumination with a continuous‐wave laser also results in fluorescence activation. The metallic nanostructures enable the two‐photon excitation of the oxazine component to induce the photochromic transformation and then facilitate the one‐photon excitation of the photochemical product to generate fluorescence. Thus, these operating principles offer the opportunity to avoid altogether the need of pulsed ultraviolet irradiation to trigger the photochromic transformation and, instead, allow fluorescence activation with a single visible source operating at low illumination power.     

Fast and stable photochromic oxazines for fluorescence switching

The stringent limitations imposed by diffraction on the spatial resolution of fluorescence microscopes demand the identification of viable strategies to switch fluorescence under optical control. In this context, the photoinduced and reversible transformations of photochromic compounds are particularly valuable. In fact, these molecules can be engineered to regulate the emission intensities of complementary fluorophores in response to optical stimulations. On the basis of this general design logic, we assembled a functional molecular construct consisting of a borondipyrromethene fluorophore and a nitrospiropyran photochrome and demonstrated that the emission of the former can be modulated with the interconversion of the latter. This fluorophore-photochrome dyad, however, has a slow switching speed and poor fatigue resistance. To improve both parameters, we developed a new family of photochromic switches based on the photoinduced opening and thermal closing of an oxazine ring. These compounds switch back and forth between ring-closed and -open isomers on nanosecond-microsecond timescales and tolerate thousands of switching cycles with no sign of degradation. In addition, the attachment of appropriate chromophoric fragments to their switchable oxazine ring can be exploited to either deactivate or activate fluorescence reversibly in response to illumination with a pair of exciting beams. Specifically, we assembled three dyads, each based on either a borondipyrromethene or a coumarin fluorophore and an oxazine photochrome, and modulated their fluorescence in a few microseconds with outstanding fatigue resistance. The unique photochemical and photophysical properties of our fluorophore-photochrome dyads can facilitate the development of switchable fluorophores for superresolution imaging and, ultimately, provide valuable molecular probes for the visualization of biological samples on the nanometer level.     

Synthesis and properties of benzophenone-spiropyran and naphthalene-spiropyran conjugates

We have designed and synthesized four compounds integrating luminescent and photochromic components in their molecular skeletons. Two of them combine a nitrospiropyran photochrome with either one or two naphthalene fluorophores and can be prepared in three synthetic steps. The other two consist of a nitrospiropyran photochrome and a benzophenone phosphore connected by either ether or ester linkages and can be prepared in six or five, respectively, synthetic steps. The luminescent components of these assemblies are expected to transfer energy intramolecularly to the photochromic species upon excitation and encourage their photoisomerization. Consistently, the phosphorescence of the benzophenone units and the fluorescence of the naphthalene components are effectively quenched when these species are connected covalently to a nitrospiropyran. Nonetheless, the photoisomerization of the photochrome becomes significantly less efficient after the covalent attachment to the luminescent partner. The fraction of incident radiations absorbed by either the benzophenone or the naphthalene fragment does not promote the isomerization of the photochromic appendage. Instead, irreversible transformations occur upon irradiation of the luminophore-photochrome assemblies. Thus, the covalent attachment of a benzophenone or a naphthalene to a nitrospiropyran is not a viable strategy to improve the photocoloration efficiency of the photochromic component. Even although the very same luminophores are known to sensitize intermolecularly the isomerization of nitrospiropyrans, the transition to covalent luminophore-photochrome assemblies tends to promote degradation, rather than sensitization, upon irradiation.     

Fast fluorescence switching within hydrophilic supramolecular assemblies

We designed a supramolecular strategy to modulate fluorescence in water under optical control. It is based on the entrapment of fluorophore-photochrome dyads within the hydrophobic interior of an amphiphilic polymer. The polymeric envelope around the dyads protects them from the aqueous environment, while imposing hydrophilic character on the overall supramolecular construct. In the resulting assemblies, the photochromic component can be operated reversibly on a microsecond timescale under the influence of ultraviolet stimulations. In turn, the reversible transformations control the emission intensity of the adjacent fluorophore. As a result, the fluorescence of such nanostructured constructs can be photomodulated for hundreds of cycles in water with microsecond switching speeds. Thus, our protocol for fast fluorescence switching in aqueous solutions can eventually lead to the realization of functional probes for the investigation of biological samples.     

Fluorescence modulation with photochromic switches

Photochromic compounds change their color under illumination. In most instances, a colorless state switches to a colored one upon ultraviolet irradiation. The photogenerated species reverts to the original one either by thermal means or upon visible irradiation. These reversible transformations are accompanied by pronounced structural and electronic modifications, which often alter the ability of the photochromic compound to emit light. Under these conditions, the photoinduced and reversible interconversion of the colorless and colored states results in the modulation of the fluorescence intensity. Alternatively, fluorescence modulation can be implemented by attaching covalently a fluorescent group to a photochromic compound. Photoinduced changes in the dipole moment or conjugation of the photochromic component can then be designed to alter the emissive behavior of the fluorescent appendage. Similarly, photoinduced shifts in the redox potential or absorption wavelength of the photochromic fragment can be engineered to activate electron or energy, respectively, transfer pathways. Both processes can efficiently quench the fluorescence of the emissive component. Furthermore, the reversible absorption changes of a photochromic compound can effectively filter the emission of a compatible, but separate, fluorophore as long as the emission bands of the latter overlap the absorption bands of one of the two states of the former. When this design requirement is satisfied, fluorescence modulation can be achieved even if the two functional components are operated in distinct environments. Thus, either one of these ingenious mechanisms can be exploited to regulate the emissive behavior of collections of molecules in solution or even in rigid matrixes. In fact, the investigation of these fascinating systems can eventually lead to novel photoresponsive materials for photonic applications, while contributing to advance our basic understanding of the photochemical and photophysical properties of organic compounds.     

A fast and stable photochromic switch based on the opening and closing of an oxazine ring

[reaction: see text] We have designed a molecular switch based on the photoinduced opening and thermal closing of an oxazine ring. Ultraviolet excitation of this molecule induces the cleavage of a [C-O] bond to form a p-nitrophenolate chromophore in less than 10 ns with a quantum yield of ca. 0.1. The photogenerated isomer reverts thermally to the original oxazine within 50 ns. Our photochromic switch survives more than 3000 excitation cycles without decomposing, even in air-saturated solutions.     

Two‐Photon Excitation of a Plasmonic Nanoswitch Monitored by Single‐Molecule Fluorescence Microscopy

Visible‐light excitation of the surface plasmon band of silver nanoplates can effectively localize and concentrate the incident electromagnetic field enhancing the photochemical performance of organic molecules. Herein, the first single‐molecule study of the plasmon‐assisted isomerization of a photochrome‐fluorophore dyad, designed to switch between a nonfluorescent and a fluorescent state in response to the photochromic transformation, is reported. The photochemistry of the switchable assembly, consisting of a photochromic benzooxazine chemically conjugated to a coumarin moiety, is examined in real time with total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy in the presence of silver nanoplates excited with a 633 nm laser. The metallic nanostructures significantly enhance the visible light‐induced performance of the photoconversion, which normally requires ultraviolet excitation. The resulting ring‐open isomer is strongly fluorescent and can also be excited at 633 nm. These stochastic emission events are used to monitor photochromic activation and show quadratic dependence on incident power. The utilization of a single laser wavelength for both photochromic activation and excitation effectively mimics a pseudo two‐colours system.     

Super-resolution RESOLFT microscopy of lipid bilayers using a fluorophore-switch dyad

Dyads consisting of a photochromic switch covalently linked to a fluorescent dye allow the emission from the dye to be controlled by reversible photoisomerization of the switch; one form of the switch quenches fluorescence by accepting energy from the dye. Here we investigate the use of dyads of this type for super-resolution imaging of lipid bilayers. Giant unilamellar vesicles stained with the dyads were imaged with about a two-fold resolution-enhancement compared with conventional confocal microscopy. This was achieved by exciting the fluorophore at 594 nm, using a switch activated by violet and red light (405/640 nm).

A photoswitchable quencher can be used to reversibly turn off the emission from a fluorescent dye, generating a small molecule dyad that is effective for super-resolution RESOLFT microscopy.     

Synthesis and characterization of photoswitchable fluorescent SiO2 nanoparticles

Switchable fluorescent silica nanoparticles have been prepared by covalently incorporating a fluorophore and a photochromic compound inside the particle core. The fluorescence can be switched reversibly between an on‐ and off‐state via energy transfer. The particles were synthesized using different amounts of the photoswitchable compound (spiropyran) and the fluorophore (rhodamine B) in a size distribution between 98 and 140 nm and were characterized in terms of size, switching properties, and fluorescence efficiency by TEM, and UV\Vis and fluorescence spectroscopy.     

Fast and stable photochromic oxazines

We have designed and synthesized two photochromic compounds incorporating fused indoline and benzooxazine fragments. Variable-temperature 1H NMR spectroscopy demonstrates that their central [1,3]oxazine ring opens thermally with free energy barriers ranging from 14 to 19 kcal mol(-1). The ring-opened species reverts rapidly to the original isomer and can only be detected after chemical trapping. Specifically, the nucleophilic attack of a hydroxide anion to the indolium cation of the ring-opened species prevents re-isomerization. Laser excitation of both compounds induces the opening of the [1,3]oxazine ring in less than 6 ns with quantum yields up to 0.1. The photoinduced ring opening generates a 4-nitrophenolate chromophore, which absorbs strongly at 440 nm. The photogenerated species reverts to the original form with a lifetime of 22 ns for both compounds. Thus, these transformations can be exploited to interconvert the two isomers of each species with nanosecond switching speeds. Furthermore, thousands of switching cycles can be repeated consecutively without any sign of degradation, even in the presence of molecular oxygen. These processes can be reproduced efficiently in poly(methyl methacrylate) matrixes. Under these conditions, the thermal re-isomerization occurs with biexponential kinetics in submillisecond time scales. In principle, the fast isomerization kinetics and excellent fatigue resistance of both compounds offer the opportunity to modulate rapidly and efficiently a variety of molecular and macroscopic properties. Thus, our molecular design can evolve into the realization of a new family of photochromic compounds and materials with promising photoresponsive character.     

New Ca2+ fluoroionophores based on the BODIPY fluorophore

Calcium (Ca(2+)) fluoroionophores are useful in cell-based functional assays of G-protein coupled receptor (GPCR) activation or ion channel modulation. In this paper we describe new calcium probes that improve or overcome certain deficiencies in existing probes. These new fluoroionophores are based on acylation of amino-BAPTA [BAPTA = glycine, N,N'-(1,2-ethanediyl-bis(oxy-2,1-phenylene)) bis(N-(carboxymethyl))] with fluorescent BODIPY(R) propionates [BODIPY = 4,4-difluoro-5,7-dimethyl- 4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene]. The resulting probes show high affinity to aqueous calcium solutions, and respond to calcium binding with significant fluorescence increases. The BODIPY fluorophores are uncharged and their fluorescence is pH-insensitive. The wide range of excitation/emission wavelength choices available within the BODIPY fluorophore series allows several different colors of new calcium indicators to be prepared. Cell permeable versions respond well with increasing fluorescence intensities in live cells after calcium influx.     

BODIPYs with Photoactivatable Fluorescence

The borondipyrromethene (BODIPY) chromophore is a versatile platform for the construction of photoresponsive dyes with unique properties. Specifically, its covalent connection to a photocleavable group can be exploited to engineer compounds with photoswitchable fluorescence. The resulting photoactivatable fluorophores can increase their emission intensity or shift their emission wavelengths in response to switching. Such changes permit the spatiotemporal control of fluorescence with optical stimulations and the implementation of imaging strategies that would be impossible to replicate with conventional fluorophores. Indeed, BODIPYs with photoactivatable fluorescence enable the selective highlighting of intracellular targets, the nanoscaled visualization of sub-cellular components, the real-time monitoring of dynamic events and the photochemical writing of optical barcodes.     

Tunable design strategy for fluorescence probes based on 4-substituted BODIPY chromophore: improvement of highly sensitive fluorescence probe for nitric oxide

4,4-Difluoro-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene (BODIPY) is a well-known fluorophore, with a high molar extinction coefficient and high fluorescence quantum efficiency (Phi(fl)). Furthermore, its structure can be modified to change its excitation and emission wavelengths. However, little work has been done on the structural modification of fluorines at the B-4 position with other functional groups. We synthesized 4-methoxy-substituted BODIPY derivatives in satisfactory yields, and found that they exhibited improved solubility in aqueous solution. Moreover, their oxidation and reduction potentials were greatly decreased without any change in their absorbance and fluorescence properties. These features of 4-substituted BODIPYs may be useful for developing novel fluorescence probes based on the intramolecular photoinduced electron transfer (PeT) mechanism, because it is possible to optimize the PeT process precisely by modulating the electrochemical properties of the fluorophore. The value of this approach is exemplified by its application to the development of a highly sensitive and pH-independent fluorescence probe for nitric oxide.     

Supramolecular strategies to construct biocompatible and photoswitchable fluorescent assemblies

We designed and synthesized an amphiphilic copolymer with pendant hydrophobic decyl and hydrophilic poly(ethylene glycol) chains along a common poly(methacrylate) backbone. This macromolecular construct captures hydrophobic boron dipyrromethene fluorophores and hydrophobic spiropyran photochromes and transfers mixtures of both components in aqueous environments. Within the resulting hydrophilic supramolecular assemblies, the spiropyran components retain their photochemical properties and switch reversibly to the corresponding merocyanine isomers upon ultraviolet illumination. Their photoinduced transformations activate intermolecular electron and energy transfer pathways, which culminate in the quenching of the boron dipyrromethene fluorescence. As a result, the emission intensity of these supramolecular constructs can be modulated in aqueous environments under optical control. Furthermore, the macromolecular envelope around the fluorescent and photochromic components can cross the membrane of Chinese hamster ovarian cells and transport its cargo unaffected into the cytosol. Indeed, the fluorescence of these supramolecular constructs can be modulated also intracellularly by operating the photochromic component with optical inputs. In addition, cytotoxicity tests demonstrate that these supramolecular assemblies and the illumination conditions required for their operation have essentially no influence on cell viability. Thus, supramolecular events can be invoked to construct fluorescent and photoswitchable systems from separate components, while imposing aqueous solubility and biocompatibility on the resulting assemblies. In principle, this simple protocol can evolve into a general strategy to deliver and operate intracellularly functional molecular components under optical control.     

Unsymmetrical photochromic bithienylethene-bridge tetraphenylethene molecular switches: Synthesis,aggregation-induced emission and information storage

Aggregation-induced emission(AIE) active photochromic molecules have attracted growing attention for their versatile applications.Here we designed and synthesized five newly unsymmetrical photochromic diarylethene(DAE) dyads(BTE1-5) by connecting tetraphenylethene(TPE) and aromatic substituent via bithienylethene(BTE) bridge.The chemical structures of those compounds were identified by ^1H NMR,¹³C NMR and HRMS.The absorption and emission of these dyads were investigated by UV-vis and fluore scence spectroscopy,respectively.The results showed that all those compounds exhibited typically AIE or aggregation-induced emission enhancement(AIEE) characteristic.Particularly,when an aggregationcaused quenching(ACQ) fluorophore(triphenylamine) was grafted to the molecule,connecting with TPE via BTE-bridge,the ACQ phenomenon was dissipated and converted to an AIE luminophore,and those compounds exhibited photochromism upon irradiation with alternative UV and visible light.The solution or solid of those compounds showed distinctly fluorescence switching "ON" or "OFF" observation upon irradiation with alternative UV and visible light.It is interesting that BTE1 could be applied in recording and rewritable information storage,and the cyclization quantum yields could be affected by substituent significantly.     

Energy Transfer in Aminonaphthalimide‐Boron‐Dipyrromethene (BODIPY) Dyads upon One‐ and Two‐Photon Excitation: Applications for Cellular Imaging

Aminonaphthalimide–BODIPY energy transfer cassettes were found to show very fast (k_EET≈10¹⁰–10¹¹ s^?1) and efficient BODIPY fluorescence sensitization. This was observed upon one‐ and two‐photon excitation, which extends the application range of the investigated bichromophoric dyads in terms of accessible excitation wavelengths. In comparison with the direct excitation of the BODIPY chromophore, the two‐photon absorption cross‐section δ of the dyads is significantly incremented by the presence of the aminonaphthalimide donor [δ≈10 GM for the BODIPY versus 19–26 GM in the dyad at λ_exc=840 nm; 1 GM (Goeppert–Mayer unit)=10^?50 cm⁴ s molecule^?1 photon^?1]. The electronic decoupling of the donor and acceptor, which is a precondition for the energy transfer cassette concept, was demonstrated by time‐dependent density functional theory calculations. The applicability of the new probes in the one‐ and two‐photon excitation mode was demonstrated in a proof‐of‐principle approach in the fluorescence imaging of HeLa cells. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of the merging of multiphoton excitation with the energy transfer cassette concept for a BODIPY‐containing dyad.     

In situ determination of orientational distributions in Langmuir monolayers by total internal reflection fluorescence

A new application of the polarized total internal reflection fluorescence (PTIRF) technique to study the orientation distribution of a fluorophore within a Langmuir monolayer in situ on an aqueous subphase is described. The technique utilizes the measurement of polarized fluorescence, excited by the evanescent field appearing upon total internal reflection. The excitation by the evanescent field is achieved by launching the beam into a prism that is brought into contact with the monolayer from above. We also show here that a combination of PTIRF of monolayers on water and those freshly deposited onto the prism by horizontal lift in the same experiment provide enough data to determine the dielectric constant of the actual local environment of the fluorophore in the monolayer to eliminate the ambiguity of the orientation determination, arising from uncertainty in the normal component of excitation field. The new technique was applied to several model systems: fatty acid monolayers containing amphiphilic dyes DiI or BODIPY and also a monolayer of a synthetic amphiphilic porphyrin-binding peptide AP0. This technique is more accurate than polarized epifluorescence (PEF) in determining the fluorophore orientation distribution due to the much higher normal component of the excitation, achievable in the evanescent field, and to the lack of surface vibrations caused by capillary waves. Comparison of the new PTIRF approach with PEF shows that the monolayer structure is not disturbed by weak van der Waals attachment to the hydrophobic substrate.     

Synthesis,Characterization, and Electron-Transfer Properties of Ferrocene–BODIPY–Fullerene Near-Infrared-Absorbing Triads: Are Catecholopyrrolidine-Linked Fullerenes a Good Architecture to Facilitate Electron-Transfer?

A series of covalent ferrocene–BODIPY–fullerene triads with the ferrocene groups conjugated to the BODIPY π-system and the fullerene acceptor linked at the boron hub by a common catecholpyrrolidine bridge were prepared and characterized by 1D and 2D NMR, UV/Vis, steady-state fluorescence spectroscopy, high-resolution mass spectrometry, and, for one of the derivatives, X-ray crystallography. Redox processes of the new compounds were investigated by electrochemical (CV and DPV) methods and spectroelectrochemistry. DFT calculations indicate that the HOMO in all triads was delocalized between ferrocene and BODIPY π-system, the LUMO was always fullerene-centered, and the catechol-centered occupied orbital was close in energy to the HOMO. TDDFT calculations were indicative of the low-energy, low-intensity charge-transfer bands originated from the ferrocene–BODIPY core to fullerene excitation, which explained the similarity of the UV/Vis spectra of the ferrocene–BODIPY dyads and ferrocene–BODIPY–fullerene triads. Photophysical properties of the new triads as well as reference BODIPY–fullerene and ferrocene–BODIPY dyads were investigated by pump-probe spectroscopy in the UV/Vis and NIR spectral regions following selective excitation of the BODIPY-based antenna. Initial charge transfer from the ferrocene to the BODIPY core was shown to outcompete sub-100 fs deactivation of the excited state mediated by the catechol bridge. However, no subsequent electron transfer to the fullerene acceptor was observed. The initial charge separated state relaxes by recombination with a time constant of 150–380 ps.     

New photochromic symmetrical and unsymmetrical bis(heteroaryl)maleimides: A spectrokinetic study

The photochromic behavior of two newly synthesized diarylethenes is here presented. The compounds studied are the symmetrical (1-benzyl-3,4-bis(2-methylbenzo[b]thiophen-3-yl)-[1H]-2,5-dihydropyrrol-2,5-dione) and the unsymmetrical (1-benzyl-3-(2-methylbenzo[b]thiophen-3-yl)-4-(2,5-dimethyl-3-thienyl)-[1H]-2,5-dihydropyrrol-2,5-dione). Upon stimulation with UV or violet light, these compounds become red-colored due to photocyclization and cyclorevert to the light yellow open form upon irradiation with visible light. In this work, absorption and fluorescence spectra, molar absorption coefficients of the ethenic and cyclized forms, fluorescence quantum yields and photochemical quantum yields of both the forward and back photoreactions were determined. Temperature, excitation wavelength and solvent effects were explored. The symmetrical compound was found to be a bistable photochrome. In contrast, the unsymmetrical molecule resulted unsuitable as photochrome because of side degradation processes occurring in competition with cyclization.