Fluorescence lifetimes and quantum yields of rhodamine derivatives: new insights from theory and experiment

Although lifetimes and quantum yields of widely used fluorophores are often largely characterized, a systematic approach providing a rationale of their photophysical behavior on a quantitative basis is still a challenging goal. Here we combine methods rooted in the time-dependent density functional theory and fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy to accurately determine and analyze fluorescence signatures (lifetime, quantum yield, and band peaks) of several commonly used rhodamine and pyronin dyes. We show that the radiative lifetime of rhodamines can be correlated to the charge transfer from the phenyl toward the xanthene moiety occurring upon the S(0) ← S(1) de-excitation, and to the xanthene/phenyl relative orientation assumed in the S(1) minimum structure, which in turn is variable upon the amino and the phenyl substituents. These findings encourage the synergy of experiment and theory as unique tool to design finely tuned fluorescent probes, such those conceived for modern optical sensors.     

Effect of viscosity on the singlet-excited state dynamics of some hemicyanine dyes

Photophysical properties of hemicyanine dyes (1 - 3) were investigated in solvents of varying polarity and viscosity. Hemicyanines possess relatively low fluorescence quantum yields (1%) in polar solvents. A significant increase in fluorescence quantum yield and lifetimes was observed with increase in viscosity of the solvent medium. The radiative, as well as nonradiative decay channels from the singlet-excited state were investigated by varying the viscosity of the medium. The viscosity-dependent radiationless relaxation observed in hemicyanine dyes is suggestive of a restricted rotor motion in the singlet excited state.     

吩噻嗪-Corrole 镓(III)配合物的合成、荧光及其光断裂DNA性质

合成了吩噻嗪(PTZ)-corrole二元体1-3及其镓(III)配合物4-6.采用稳态吸收与稳态发射及时间分辨的瞬态光谱技术研究了这几种化合物的光物理特性.结合荧光量子产率和荧光寿命计算得到它们的辐射和无辐射速率常数.稳态吸收光谱表明:几种二元体中,corrole镓(III)单元表现出更强的Soret带和Q带.化合物1-3的荧光量子产率分别是0.156、0.134和0.139,辐射速率常数分别为4.02′107、3.47′107和2.89′107s-1.化合物4-6的荧光量子产率分别是0.502、0.443和0.494,辐射速率常数分别为20.90′107、16.78′107和21.11′107s-1.可见,化合物4-6的荧光量子产率和辐射速率常数均高于化合物1-3.然而,化合物4-6的荧光寿命分别是2.40、2.64和2.34ns,低于自由corrole1-3.琼脂糖凝胶电泳实验表明:在光照的条件下,这些吩噻嗪-corrole镓(III)二元体化合物能够把超螺旋DNA(formI)切割成缺刻型DNA(formII).     

三元若丹明激光染料荧光寿命研究

利用单光子计数技术测试了新型三元若丹明激光染料在不同溶剂中的荧光寿命、荧光光谱及其寿命的实验数据.实验表明,所研究的三元若丹明染料存在着有效的分子内能量传递过程,这些过程使得激光染料的荧光量子效率及光稳定性明显改善.     

Medium effects on fluorescence quantum yields and lifetimes for coumarin laser dyes

Fluorescence quantum yields and lifetimes of coumarin dyes are sharply reduced in polar solvents if amine substituent groups are free to rotate. The polar solvent effect is interpreted in terms of relaxation of excited dye from an initial planar conformation to a twisted zwitterionic state.     

反-1,2-双[2-(5-取代苯基噁唑基)]乙烯的结构与光性能及光二聚反应机理的研究

测试了反-1,2-双[2-(5-苯基 唑基)]乙烯(POEOP)类化合物在1,4-二氧六环中的荧光寿命及其在不同溶剂中的光二聚量子产率,计算了其荧光辐射速率常数和非辐射速率常数,研究了取代基效应及溶剂性质对该类化合物光二聚反应的影响。结果发现,溶剂的极性增加有利于光二聚反应,但重原子溶剂对光二聚反应不利,表明该类化合物经单重态历程进行光二聚.     

Radiative relaxation quantum yields for synthetic eumelanin

We report absolute values for the radiative relaxation quantum yield of synthetic eumelanin as a function of excitation energy. These values were determined by correcting for pump beam attenuation and emission reabsorption in both eumelanin samples and fluorescein standards over a large range of concentrations. Our results confirm that eumelanins are capable of dissipating >99.9% of absorbed UV and visible radiation through nonradiative means. Furthermore, we have found that the radiative quantum yield of synthetic eumelanin is excitation energy dependent. This observation is supported by corrected emission spectra, which also show a clear dependence of both peak position and peak width on excitation energy. Our findings indicate that photoluminescence emission in eumelanins is derived from ensembles of small chemically distinct oligomeric units that can be selectively pumped. This hypothesis lends support to the theory that the basic structural unit of eumelanin is oligomeric rather than heteropolymeric.     

Solvent polarity induced structural changes in 2,6-diamino-9,10-anthraquinone dye

Photophysical properties of 2,6-diamino-9,10-anthraquinone (2,6-DAAQ) dye have been investigated in different solvents and solvent mixtures. The fluorescence quantum yields, fluorescence lifetimes, radiative rate constants, nonradiative rate constants and absorption and fluorescence spectral characteristics show unusual deviations in the lower polarity aprotic solvents in comparison to those in other aprotic solvents of medium to higher polarities. The results indicate that the dye exists in different structural forms in the lower and in the medium to higher polarity solvents. Drawing an analogy with the results reported for other amino-substituted dyes, it is inferred that 2,6-DAAQ dye adopts a planar intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) structure in medium to higher polarity solvents, where the amino lone pairs are in good resonance with the anthraquinone pi-cloud. In the lower polarity solvents, however, the dye is inferred to exist in a nonplanar structure where the amino lone pairs are not in good resonance with the anthraquinone pi-cloud. Due to these structural differences, the dye displays significantly different photophysical behavior in the lower polarity solvents than in the other solvents of medium to higher polarities. Supportive evidence for the above structural changes has been obtained from ab initio quantum chemical calculations on the structures of the dye under different conditions. Unusual deviations in the photophysical properties of 2,6-DAAQ dye in protic solvents in comparison to those in aprotic solvents of similar polarities are attributed to the intermolecular hydrogen bonding effect involving the OH groups of the protic solvents and the quinonoid oxygens of the dye.     

Photoacoustic spectroscopy and sorbed-compound luminescence quantum yields

A new method is proposed for determining luminescence quantum yields for sorbed compounds, which is based on comparing photoacoustic signal amplitudes for the specimen and a nonluminescent standard having the same thermal characteristics and used at the same absorbed energy. Fluorescence quantum yields have been determined for some rhodamine dyes sorbed on silica.Translated from Teoreticheskaya i Éksperimental'naya Khimiya, Vol. 23, No. 6, pp. 705–711, November–December, 1987.     

The phosphorescence of 4h-pyran-4-thione: large quantum yields from room-temperature fluid solutions

The spectra, phosphorescence quantum yields and triplet lifetimes of 4H-pyran-4-thione (PT) in fluid solution at room temperature have been measured. In inert perfluoroalkane solvents at 293 K, the phosphorescence quantum yield of PT is 0.33 on excitation to S₂ and 0.47 on direct excitation to T₁. The reasons for these extremely large radiative yields are discussed.     

Effect of solvent on the subnanosecond decay of the second excited singlet state of tetramethylindanethione

The S₂ → S₀ fluorescence spectra and quantum yields and the S₂ lifetimes of 2,2,3,3-tetramethylindanethione (TMIT) have been measured in several solvents using a synchronously pumped picosecond dye laser excitation system. The S₂ nonradiative decay rate is markedly solvent dependent. In inert perfluoroalkane solvents remarkably large S₂-S₀ fluorescence quantum yields (θ_f = 0.14) and long S₂ lifetimes (τ = 880 ps) are measured. Hydrocarbons are efficient excited-state quenchers.     

Photophysics on surfaces: determination of absolute fluorescence quantum yields from reflectance spectra

A method for the calculation of absolute fluorescence quantum yields for dyes attached to solid particles based on reflectance measurements is reported. The same procedure allows calculation of true reflectance spectra (free of fluorescence) for highly fluorescent materials as well. Samples ofcresyl violet were immobilized by adsorption on microgranular cellulose in the concentration range 4.5 x 10(-9) to 3.8 x 10(-6) mol g(-1). Diffuse and total reflectance spectra were recorded with and without insertion of an optical absorption filter between the output of the integrating sphere of a reflectance spectrometer and the photodetector in order to block fluorescence partially. From these data, the relative emission spectrum of the dye, the filter transmission spectrum, and the detector sensitivity, true reflectances and absolute fluorescence quantum yields were recovered. Observed fluorescence quantum yields, affected by dye aggregation and inner filter effects, were concentration and wavelength dependent, ranging approximately between 0.1 and 0.6. The analysis of remission function spectra showed that dye aggregation is negligible up to a concentration of 1.41 x 10(-7) mol g(-1). Fluorescence data were corrected for reemission and reabsorption using a suitable model [Lagorio, M. G.; Dicelio, L. E.; Litter, M. I.; San Roman, E. J. Chem. Soc., Faraday Trans. 1998, 94, 419]. Application of this model to samples showing no aggregation yielded a wavelength-independent true fluorescence quantum yield of 0.60 +/- 0.05, similar to values found in solution. The usage of cresyl violet as a reference for the evaluation of fluorescence quantum yields for weakly fluorescing samples in the solid phase is discussed.     

Photophysical properties of borondipyrromethene analogues in solution

The photophysical properties of seven new 8-(p-substituted)phenyl analogues of 4,4-difluoro-3,5-dimethyl-8-(aryl)-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene (derivatives of the well-known fluorophore BODIPY) in several solvents have been studied by means of absorption and steady-state and time-resolved fluorimetry. For each compound, the fluorescence quantum yield and lifetime are lower in solvents with higher polarity owing to an increase in the rate of nonradiative deactivation. Increasing the electron withdrawing strength of the p-substituent on the phenyl group in position 8 also leads to lower fluorescence quantum yields and lifetimes. When the p-substituent on the phenyl group in position 8 is a tertiary amine [8-(4-piperidinophenyl), 8-(4-N,N-dimethylaminophenyl), and 8-(4-morpholinophenyl)], the low quantum yields of these compounds in more polar solvents can be rationalized by the inversion of the energy levels of an apolar, highly fluorescent and a polar, nonfluorescent excited state, where charge transfer from the tertiary amine to the BODIPY unit occurs. These amine analogues can be protonated at low pH in aqueous solution. Fluorescence titrations yielded pK(a) values of their conjugate ammonium salts which are in agreement with the electron donating tendency of the amine group: piperidino (4.15) > dimethylamino (2.37) > morpholino (1.47), with the pK(a) values in parentheses. The rate constant of radiative deactivation (k(f)) is the same for all compounds in all solvents studied (k(f) = 1.4 x 10(8) s(-1)).     

Emission characteristics of laser dyes C1 and Rh6G in cross-linked polyvinyl alcohol solutions

The lifetimes and the relative quantum yields for fluorescence of two laser dyes Coumarin 1 and Rhodamine 6G have been determined in cross-linked polyvinyl alcohol matrix. The cross-linking has been achieved using gamma radiation. The relative fluorescence quantum yields of the dyes increased with increasing cross-linking of the polymer, but the fluorescence lifetimes remained unchanged within experimental error. The results have been attributed to a reduction in the loss of the excitation energy via the internal conversion of the excited singlet state due to increase in the viscosity of the medium brought about by the increased cross-linking of the polymer.     

Photophysical behavior of lipophilic xanthene dyes without the involvement of photoinduced electron transfer mechanism

The correlation of dibutyl-ether-ester of xanthene dye structures with their photophysical properties is discussed with respect to their capability as fluorescent probes based on ultraviolet–visible absorption, fluorescence spectra and fluorescence lifetimes measured in different solvents. It was found that the dibutyl-ether-ester of fluorescein is very weakly emissive in aprotic solvents, but fairly strong fluorescent in alcohols. The dependence of fluorescence quantum yield (Φ_f) and lifetime (τ_f) on solvent polarity suggests non-involvement of the intra-molecular photoinduced electron transfer (PeT) mechanism, suggested previously to account for the emission efficiency of fluorescein derivatives. The xanthene dyes intend to self-assemble in aprotic solvents, less polar solvents facilitate the aggregation while hydrogen bonding disfavor it. The formation of non-emissive H-aggregates is proposed to be responsible for their fluorescent behavior. The esterification showed stronger influences on the photophysics than the etherification, i.e. the former caused larger reduction of Φ_f owing to the internal conversion. The halogenation decreases the fluorescence quantum yield and lifetime of the xanthene dyes, owing to the enhancement of inter-system crossing process.     

Photophysics of Glycosylated Derivatives of a Chlorin,Isobacteriochlorin and Bacteriochlorin for Photodynamic Theragnostics: Discovery of a Two‐photon‐absorbing Photosensitizer

The photophysical properties of a chlorin, isobacteriochlorin and bacteriochlorin built on a core tetrapentafluorophenylporphyrin (TPPF₂₀) and the nonhydrolyzable para thioglycosylated conjugates of these chromophores are presented. The photophysical characterization of these compounds was done in three different solvents to correlate with different environments in cells and tissues. Compared with TPPF₂₀ other dyes have greater absorption in the red region of the visible spectrum and greater fluorescence quantum yields. The excited state lifetimes are from 3 to 11 ns. The radiative and nonradiative rate constants for deactivation of the excited state were estimated from the fluorescence quantum yield and excited state lifetime. The data indicate that the bacteriochlorin has strong absorption bands near 730 nm and efficiently enters the triplet manifold. The isobacteriochlorin has a 40–70% fluorescence quantum yield depending on solvent, so it may be a good fluorescent tag. The isobacteriochlorins also display enhanced two‐photon absorption, thereby allowing the use of 860 nm light to excite the compound. While the two‐photon cross section of 25 GM units is not large, excitation of low chromophore concentrations can induce apoptosis. The glycosylated compounds accumulate in cancer cells and a head and neck squamous carcinoma xenograft tumor model in mice. These compounds are robust to photobleaching.     

Solvent Dependence of the Fluorescence Lifetimes of Xanthene Dyes

Fluorescence lifetimes of Ave representative xanthene dye species-the rhodamine B zwitterion (RB⁼), the rhoda-mine B cation (RB⁺), the rhodamine 6G cation (R6G⁺), the rhodamine 101 zwitterion (R101) and the fluorescein dianion (F^2-)-were measured in H₂O, D₂O and in a series of alcohol solvents ranging from methanol to octanol. The lifetimes of both RB⁼ and RB⁺ increased markedly as the solvent was varied from water to octanol. In contrast, the lifetimes of R6G⁺ and R101± decreased slightly over the alcohol series and that of F^2- increased only slightly in the same series. For all the dyes studied the fluorescence lifetimes observed in D₂O were slightly longer than those in H₂O. Possible causes for the variations observed are discussed.     

Exceptional near-infrared fluorescence quantum yields and excited-state absorptivity of highly conjugated porphyrin arrays

We show that meso-to-meso ethyne-bridged (porphinato)zinc(II) oligomers (PZnn structures) define exceptional low band gap organic materials that possess both large magnitude NIR S1 --> S0 fluorescence quantum yields and substantial S1 --> Sn absorptive cross-sections, tunable over a wide 850-1400 nm spectral window. These PZnn species possess fluorescence quantum yields (phif values) comparable to the highest reported for NIR laser dyes in the 750-900 nm regime; importantly, these emitters do not suffer from commonly cited tricarbocyanine dye drawbacks of poor photostability and substantial phif sensitivity to solvent polarity. Furthermore, tauo (kr-1) values determined using the Strickler-Berg method highlight the close correlation of fluorescence quantum yields with S0 --> S1 integrated oscillator strength and demonstrate a rare if not unique example of broad NIR spectral domain fluorescence energy modulation, where phif magnitudes follow a simple Strickler-Berg relationship.     

新型双发色团染料荧光光谱及其寿命的研究

有效的染料激光操作需要较高的荧光量子效率,若丹明是在500~700 nm光谱区中一类最重要的激光染料.然而,染料的基态分子和三线态对辐射能量的吸收将会大大降低激光输出效率,再者,由于若丹明类染料在紫外区的吸收系数较小,为了有效吸收泵浦能量(如用XeCI准分子激光,308 nm),就必须使用高浓度染料溶液,在这种情况下,若丹明类染料较小的Stokes位移就势必造成基态分子更大的重复吸收,即造成更大的谐振腔损耗^[1].     

Photophysical properties of BODIPY-derived hydroxyaryl fluorescent pH probes in solution.

The photophysical properties of five fluorescent pH probes derived from 4,4-difluoro-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene with phenolic or naphtholic subunits at position 8 and with substituents having different electron driving forces at positions 3 and 5 have been investigated in several organic solvents, by means of absorption, steady-state, and time-resolved fluorimetry. For each compound, the fluorescence quantum yield and lifetime are lower in solvents with higher polarity, owing to an increase in the rate of nonradiative deactivation. The rate constants for radiative deactivation, k(f), are nearly constant for all dyes in all solvents studied [k(f)=(1.7+/-0.2)x10(8) s(-1)]. In aqueous solution, these probes undergo a reversible protonation-deprotonation in the near-neutral to basic pH range, producing intensity increases with lower pH. The pK(a) values of the indicators are between 7.5 and 9.3, depending on the substitution pattern on positions 3, 5, and 8. The difference between the absorption and excitation spectra as a function of pH is indicative of the presence of two species in aqueous solution: the phenol- or naphthol-based indicator and its conjugate base.