Controlled assembly of luminescent racks based on heteroleptic dinuclear lanthanide complexes

Luminescent lanthanide racks are formed in solution through supramolecular assembly of lanthanide ions with a rigid bis-didentate sensitiser ligand and octadentate aminopolycarboxylate ligands.     

Novel antennae for the sensitization of near infrared luminescent lanthanide cations

Near Infrared (NIR) luminescence is useful for many applications ranging from lasers, telecommunication to biological imaging. We have a special interest for applications in biological media since NIR photons have less interference with such samples. NIR photons can penetrate relatively deeply in tissues and cause less damage to biological samples. The use of NIR luminescence also results in improved detection sensitivity due to low background emission. The lower scattering of NIR photons results in improved image resolution. NIR emitting lanthanide compounds are promising for imaging because of their unique properties such as sharp emission bands, long luminescence lifetimes and photostability. Here, we review our efforts to develop novel sensitizers for NIR emitting lanthanides. We have employed two global strategies: (1) monometallic lanthanide complexes based on derivatives of salophen, tropolonate, azulene and pyridine; and (2) polymetallic lanthanide compounds based on nanocrystals, metal-organic frameworks and dendrimers complexes.     

A self-assembled, luminescent europium cholate hydrogel: a novel approach towards lanthanide sensitization

We propose a new self-assembly based strategy for the design of novel lanthanide based luminescent materials. In this approach a europium hydrogel is prepared and sensitization is achieved by doping the gel with pyrene in a non-coordinated fashion.     

Spontaneous formation of novel luminescent dinuclear lanthanide complexes that emit in the visible and near-IR regions

The reaction of tetrasodium-4,4',6,6'-tetracarboxy-2,2'-bipyridine (Na(4)L) with various lanthanide ions yields a family of isostructural supramolecular {Na(2)[Ln(2)L(2)]} complexes (1-4), where Ln(III) = Eu, Nd, Gd, and Tb. Strikingly, these complexes luminesce in buffered H(2)O or D(2)O solutions in either the visible or near-IR regions, despite their high hydration states.     

Polymetallic lanthanide complexes with PAMAM-naphthalimide dendritic ligands: luminescent lanthanide complexes formed in solution

Generation 3 PAMAM dendrimers functionalized with 2,3-naphthalimide chromophoric groups on the end branches were synthesized, and the formation of Eu3+ polymetallic complexes was investigated. The luminescence properties of these complexes upon binding were fully characterized. On addition of Eu3+ to the dendrimer solution, lanthanide luminescence appears. The formation of a luminescent species corresponding to a dendrimer:lanthanide ratio of 1:8 was determined by luminescence batch titration and indicated by the maximum of Eu3+ emission. This indicates an overall average coordination number of 7.5 around each lanthanide metal cation. This is the first report of such characterization in the literature. Luminescence lifetimes indicate that the metal cation is well protected from nonradiative deactivation by the dendritic structure. Despite the limited efficiency of the sensitization of Eu3+, the absolute quantum yield being 0.0006, the good protection of the eight lanthanide cations bound in the dendrimer structure and the high absorptivity leads to the red emission from Eu3+ that is easily observed in solution under irradiation with 354 nm UV light.     

A dinuclear lanthanide complex for the recognition of bis(carboxylates): formation of terbium(III) luminescent self-assembly ternary complexes in aqueous solution

The synthesis and photophysical properties of a coordinatively unsaturated cationic dinuclear terbium complex, 2.Tb(2), that can detect the presence of mono- or bis(carboxylates) in buffered aqueous solution at physiological pH is described. Full ligand synthesis and structural characterization of 2.Na(2) are also described. Spectroscopic measurements determined that each Tb(III) metal center has two metal-bound water molecules (q = 2). The recognition or sensing of N,N-dimethylaminocarboxylic acid, 4, and the bis(carboxylate) terephthalic acid, 5, which can also function as sensitizing antennae, was found to occur through the binding of these carboxylates to the metal center via the displacement of the metal bound water molecules. This gave rise to the formation of luminescent ternary complexes in solution in 2:1 or 1:1 (ion:2.Tb(2)) stoichiometry, respectively. Aliphatic bis(carboxylates) also bind to 2.Tb(2) where the selectivity for the ion recognition and stoichiometry was dictated by the structure of the anion, being most selective for pimelic acid, 6. Binding of either l- or d-tartaric acid gave rise to the formation ternary complex formation, with 2:1 stoichiometry, where the ion recognition resulted in quenching of the lanthanide emission.     

Synthesis and luminescent properties of novel lanthanide(III) beta-diketone complexes with nitrogen p,p'-disubstituted aromatic ligands

Tris-beta-diketonate lanthanide(III) complexes (Ln = Eu, Er, Yb, Tb), of general formula [Ln(acac)3 L(m)], with chelating ligands such as 4,7-disubstituted-1,10-phenanthrolines and 4,4'-disubstituted-2,2'-bipyridines, have been synthesized and fully characterized. The inductive effects of the para-substituents on the aromatic N-donor ligands have been investigated both in the solid and in the solution states. Single-crystal X-ray structures have been determined for the diethyl 1,10-phenanthroline-4,7-dicarboxylate europium and 4,4'-dimethoxy-2,2'-bipyridine erbium derivatives, revealing a distorted square antiprismatic geometry around the lanthanide atom in both cases. The influence exerted by the p,p'-substituents with respect to the nitrogen coordinating atoms on the Ln-N bond distances is discussed comparing the geometrical parameters with those found for the crystal structures containing the fragments [Ln(III)(phen)] and [Ln(III)(bipy)] obtained from the Cambridge Structural Database. The influence exerted by the electron-attracting groups on the coordination ability of the ligands, that in some cases becomes lack of coordination of the lanthanide ions, has been also detected in solution where the loss of the ligand has been followed by UV-vis spectroscopy. Moreover, the use of relatively long alkoxy chains as substituents on the 1,10-phenanthroline ligand led to the formation of a promesogenic lanthanide complex, whose thermal behavior is encouraging for the synthesis of new lanthanide liquid-crystalline species.     

Functional luminescent lanthanide complexes: Modulation of visible luminescence from europium complexes

The syntheses of three new ligands (L^1-3), which are based upon a DO3A core and appended with additional receptor sites for metal cations, are described, together with their corresponding Eu(III) complexes (Eu-L^1-3). The complexes are visibly luminescent in aqueous solution, following sensitization via the pyridine chromophore, showing characteristic narrow line-like emission from Eu(III). The luminescence properties show that water is effectively excluded from the inner coordination sphere of europium (q = 0). Each of the complexes showed perturbed luminescence properties upon addition of a variety of d-block metal ions. For example, emission quenching was observed for each complex following addition of Cr(III) and Cu(II). Selectivity towards Hg(II) (over Cd(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II)) was demonstrated with Eu-L³, which possesses a receptor site incorporating a softer thiophene moiety. More specifically, Hg(II) binding resulted in changes in the form of the steady state emission spectrum, together with a corresponding reduction of the luminescence lifetime in water, which can be attributed to an increase in inner sphere hydration (q = 2) and thus enhanced non-radiative deactivation of the ⁵D₀ state by proximate O-H oscillators.     

Mechanisms of sensitization of lanthanide(III)-based luminescence in transition metal/lanthanide and anthracene/lanthanide dyads

Four sets of dyads are discussed, in all of which near-infrared emitting lanthanide(III) ions such as Nd(III), Er(III) or Yb(III) are energy-acceptors which provide sensitized luminescence following energy-transfer from an antenna group. In three sets of dyads the antenna (energy-donor) group is a luminescent transition metal fragment; in the fourth the antenna is an anthracene group. A combination of photophysical studies and calculations has been used to understand the mechanisms by which energy-transfer to the lanthanide(III) ion occurs. Although definitive answers are not possible in every case due to the presence of several possible energy-transfer pathways, the relative contributions of Förster-type, Dexter-type and redox-mediated energy-transfer pathways have been analysed. Interesting results include (i) the demonstration of pure Dexter energy-transfer over 20 Å in a Ru(II)/Nd(III) dyad, and (ii) the demonstration of a redox-based mechanism for energy-transfer in anthracene/Ln(III) dyads in which the first step is photoinduced electron-transfer from the excited anthracene chromophore to a diimine ligand on the lanthanide(III) to generate a charge-separated state.     

Conformationally rigid proteomimetics: a case study in designing antimicrobial aryl oligomers

The promise of proteomics to provide a vast library of protein structural data is exciting to scientists desiring an unprecedented understanding of the relationship between protein structure and function. This powerful knowledge will provide insight into the design rules for proteomimetics which are oligomers and polymers that can be more stable and inexpensive to produce than natural proteins, but still emulate the main biological function of the natural molecule. This Emerging Area article is intended to stimulate discussion on innovative strategies to design the next generation of proteomimetics. Specifically we will examine the design evolution of facially amphiphilic aryl oligomers, compounds that act as synthetic mimics of antimicrobial peptides (SMAMPs) and are known to interact with lipid bilayers. An increasingly important goal in the field of antimicrobial polymers is to develop strategies to rationally design membrane-binding SMAMPs, that are highly cell-selective, from any preferred backbone and molecular weight. It is expected that lessons learned from studying these oligomers can be applied to other systems where mimics are desired to interact with extended surfaces and where it would be most productive to consider mimicking the protein of interest with a large molecule. Obvious examples include disrupting protein-protein interactions or binding long tracts of DNA to control gene expression.     

Azulene-moiety-based ligand for the efficient sensitization of four near-infrared luminescent lanthanide cations: Nd3+, Er3+, Tm3+, and Yb3+

The ML(4) complexes formed by reaction between the bidentate azulene-based ligand diethyl 2-hydroxyazulene-1,3-dicarboxylate (HAz) and several lanthanide cations (Pr(3+), Nd(3+), Gd(3+), Ho(3+), Er(3+), Tm(3+), Yb(3+), and Lu(3+)) have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, FT-IR vibrational spectroscopy and electrospray ionization mass spectroscopy. Spectrophotometric titrations have revealed that four Az(-) ligands react with one lanthanide cation to form the ML(4) complex in solution. Studies of the luminescence properties of these ML(4) complexes demonstrated that Az(-) is an efficient sensitizer for four different near-infrared emitting lanthanide cations (Nd(3+), Er(3+), Tm(3+), and Yb(3+)); the resulting complexes have high quantum yield values in CH(3)CN. The near-infrared emission arising from Tm(3+) is especially interesting for biologic imaging and bioanalytical applications since biological systems have minimal interaction with photons at this wavelength. Hydration numbers, representing the number of water molecules bound to the lanthanide cations, were obtained through luminescence lifetime measurements and indicated that no molecules of water/solvent are bound to the lanthanide cation in the ML(4) complex in solution. The four coordinated ligands protect well the central luminescent lanthanide cation against non-radiative deactivation from solvent molecules.     

Structural studies in aqueous solution of new binuclear lanthanide luminescent peptide conjugates

The synthesis, NMR and luminescent analysis of a novel polypeptide possessing a sensitising naphthalimide antenna at the amino terminus, and a model compound with a Trp moiety, and their Eu(iii) and Tb(iii) complexes are described.     

Recent advances in the chemistry of aromatic cyclic oligomers

Development of an efficient and convenient means for preparation of aromatic cyclic oligomeric carbonates has made these materials available for a wide range of polymerization and processing studies. Building on the workbased on bisphenol A cyclics, recent efforts have concentrated on the preparation of new cyclics which afford polymers with properties substantially different from bisphenol A polycarbonate. Cyclic systems have been developed which lead to polycarbonates with improved solvent resistance, either through cross-linking or via crystallization. Polycarbonates with both high or low glass transition temperatures have also been achieved.     

Photo-oxidation of triplet aromatic dianions in rigid solution

An ESR study of the photo-oxidation of the triplet dianions of triphenylbenzene and triphenylene in rigid MTHF provided information about the ion pair structures of both mono- and dianions.     

H+, Na+ and K+ modulated lanthanide luminescent switching of Tb(III) based cyclen aromatic diaza-crown ether conjugates in water

The cyclen based aromatic diaza-15-crown-5 and 18-crown-6 ether conjugates 1Tb-4Tb were designed as luminescent switches for sodium and potassium where the delayed Tb(III) emission, occurring as line-like emission bands between 490-622 nm, was 'switched on' upon recognition of these ions in pH 7.4 buffered water solution.     

Homotrinuclear lanthanide(III) arrays: assembly of and conversion from mononuclear and dinuclear units

The reactions of potentially hexadentate H2bbpen (N,N'-bis(2-hydroxybenzyl)-N,N'-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)-ethylenediamine, H2L1), H2(Cl)bbpen (N,N'-bis(5-chloro-2-hydroxybenzyl)-N,N'-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)ethylenediamine, H2L2), and H2(Br)bbpen (N,N'-bis(5-bromo-2-hydroxybenzyl)-N,N'-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)ethylenediamine, H2L3) with Ln(III) ions in the presence of a base in methanol resulted in three types of complexes: neutral mononuclear ([LnL(NO3)]), monocationic dinuclear ([Ln2L2(NO3)]+), and monocationic trinuclear ([Ln3L2(X)n(CH3OH)]+), where X = bridging (CH3COO-) and bidentate ligands (NO3-, CH3COO-, ClO4-) and n is 4. The formation of a complex depends on the base (hydroxide or acetate) and the size of the respective Ln(III) ion. All complexes were characterized by infrared spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and elemental analyses; in some cases, X-ray diffraction studies were also performed. The structures of the neutral mononuclear [Yb(L1)(NO3)], dinuclear [Pr2(L1)2(NO3)(H2O)]NO3.CH3OH and [Gd2(L1)2(NO3)]NO3.CH3OH.3H2O, and trinuclear [Gd3(L3)2(CH3COO)4(CH3OH)]ClO4.5CH3OH and [Sm3(L1)2(CH3COO)2(NO3)2(CH3OH)]NO3.CH3OH.3.65H2O were solved by X-ray crystallography. The [LnL(NO3)] or [Ln2L2(NO3)]+ complexes could be converted to [Ln3L2(X)n(CH3OH)]+ complexes by the addition of 1 equiv of a Ln(III) salt and 2-3 equiv of sodium acetate in methanol. The trinuclear complexes were found to be the most stable of the three types, which was evident from the presence of the intact monocationic high molecular weight parent peaks ([Ln3L2(X)n]+) in the mass spectra of all the trinuclear complexes and from the ease of conversion from the mononuclear or dinuclear to the trinuclear species. The incompatibility of the ligand denticity with the coordination requirements of the Ln(III) ions was proven to be a useful tool in the construction of multinuclear Ln(III) metal ion arrays.     

Extended peptoids: a new class of oligomers based on aromatic building blocks

Peptoids (N-substituted polyglycines) represent a class of bioinspired oligomers that have unique physical and structural properties. Here, we report the construction of ‘extended peptoids’ based on aromatic building blocks, in which the N-alkylaminoacetyl group of the peptoid backbone has been replaced by an N-alkylaminomethylbenzoyl spacer. Both meta- and para-bromomethylbenzoic acids were synthesized, providing access to a new class of peptoids. Further, inclusion of hydrophilic side chains confers water solubility to these compounds, showing that, like simple peptoids, extended peptoids add an extra dimension to synthetic poly-amide oligomers with potential application in a variety of biological contexts.