Oxygen uptake after electron transfer from amines, amino acids and ascorbic acid to triplet flavins in air-saturated aqueous solution

The photolysis of lumichrome, riboflavin, flavin mononucleotide (FMN) and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) was studied in air-saturated aqueous solution at room temperature in the presence of appropriate electron donors: ascorbic acid, aromatic amino acids or amines, e.g. ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA). The overall reaction is conversion of oxygen via the hydroperoxyl/superoxide radical into hydrogen peroxide. The quantum yield of oxygen uptake increases with the donor concentration, e.g. up to 0.3 for riboflavin, FMN or FAD in the presence of EDTA or ascorbic acid (0.3-10mM). The formation of H(2)O(2) is initiated by quenching of the acceptor triplet state by the electron donor and subsequent reaction of the semiquinone radical with oxygen. Specific properties of flavins are discussed including the radicals involved and the pH and concentration dependences. The quantum yield of photodegradation is low under air, but substantial under argon, where the major product absorbing in the visible spectral range is the corresponding hydroquinone.     

Unraveling the flavin-catalyzed photooxidation of benzylic alcohol with transient absorption spectroscopy from sub-pico- to microseconds

Flavin-mediated photooxidations have been described for applications in synthetic organic chemistry for some time and are claimed to be a route to the use of solar energy. We present a detailed investigation of the involved photophysical and photochemical steps in methoxybenzyl alcohol oxidation on a timescale ranging from sub-picoseconds to tens of microseconds. The results establish the flavin triplet state as the key intermediate for the photooxidation. The initial step is an electron transfer from the alcohol to the triplet state of the flavin catalyst with (3)k(ET)≈ 2 × 10(7) M(-1) s(-1), followed by a proton transfer in ～6 μs. In contrast, the electron transfer involving the singlet state of flavin is a loss channel. It is followed by rapid charge recombination (τ = 50 ps) without significant product formation as seen when flavin is dissolved in pure benzylic alcohol. In dilute acetonitrile/water solutions of flavin and alcohol the electron transfer is mostly controlled by diffusion, though at high substrate concentrations >100 mM we also find a considerable contribution from preassociated flavin-alcohol-aggregates. The model including a productive triplet channel and a competing singlet loss channel is confirmed by the course of the photooxidation quantum yield as a function of substrate concentration: We find a maximum quantum yield of 3% at 25 mM of benzylic alcohol and significantly smaller values for both higher and lower alcohol concentrations. The observations indicate the importance to perform flavin photooxidations at optimized substrate concentrations to achieve high quantum efficiencies and provide directions for the design of flavin photocatalysts with improved performance.     

Inter- and intramolecular effects of tyrosyl residues on flavin triplets and radicals as investigated by flash photolysis.

Abstract— Addition of tyrosine or derivatives to aqueous solutions of flavins does not significantly impede either formation of the flavin triplet or the rate of O₂ oxidation of the flavin radical generated by reaction of triplet with the phenol. However, the rate of radical decay is decreased. There is only a modest effect that results from altering the nature of the group on alkyl side chains of the flavin when the substituent, e.g. phenylalanine, does not complex avidly with the isoalloxazine system. However, when a tyrosyl or O-methyltyrosyl residue is covalently attached to an alkyl side chain at the N¹⁰-position of the flavin, the considerable intramolecular complexing that results markedly decreases the formation of flavin triplet and, therefore, the radical yield. The rate of triplet decay is not much different than for noninternally complexed flavins, but extensive intramolecular radical decay occurs, and the rate of 0₂ oxidation of radical is decreased. A shorter alkyl chain is more effective than a longer one for decreasing triplet production, but the greater proximity of a photooxidiz-able tyrosyl residue to the flavin nucleus within the former allows a slightly higher intramolecular radical yield. Attachment of a tyrosyl residue by a short chain from the N³-position of the flavin has only a modest effect on the production of flavin triplet and its decay. There is less radical production from internal than from external tyrosyl residues, and the rate of O₂ oxidation of the flavin radical generated by such intermolecular photoreductants as N-acetyl tyrosine ethyl ester or EDTA is somewhat decreased. The tyrosyl residue within the active-site peptide of mitochondrial monoamine oxidase is not so susceptible to photooxidation by the 8α-(S-L-cysteinyl)flavin involved, since the thioether linkage at this position severely reduces triplet production. Upon oxidation of the thioether to sulfone, however, the triplet yield is partially restored. Some flavin radical can then be generated from either the intra- or an intermolecular tyrosyl residue. Taken together, these results demonstrate that tyrosyl residues near the flavin-binding sites of flavo-proteins can become oxidized by the flavin triplet that is light-generated unless the proximity and steric disposition of the interactants is such as to allow dissipation of much of the energy as radiationless decay within a tight complex or unless an 8α-thioether linkage to the flavin coenzyme is involved. Also, flavin radicals, whether generated photochemically or by biochemical oxidation of substrate, are readily oxidized by O₂ in the presence of tyrosyl functions unless tight complexing occurs. More remarkable, though, is the decreased rate of radical decay conferred by the association with a tyrosyl residue. This stabilization of reactive flavin radicals may have considerable consequence in the catalytic mechanism of such enzymes.     

A FLASH PHOTOLYSIS STUDY OF INTERMEDIATES IN PHOTOCHEMICAL REACTIONS OF CHLOROPHYLL

Abstract— The photochemical reactions of chlorophyll intermediates in vitro have been studied by the flash photolysis method. The flash excitation of pigment solutions has been shown to involve the population of a chlorophyll triplet state where the oxidation-reduction processes occur. The mechanism and kinetics of pigment triplet decay have been investigated from 20°to — 50°C and the ability of chlorophyll molecules to carry out triplet-triplet energy transfer has been established. The latter phenomenon has been used to show up the role of chlorophyll triplets in the reversible photooxidation reaction with P -quinone. There have been studied initial products of pigment photoreduction with ascorbic acid and phenylhydrazine. Experimental data of the mechanism of the initial oxidation and reduction in chlorophyll photosensitized reactions have been analysed. There have been also obtained the differential spectra of chlorophyll triplets and radicals. A calculation has been made of rate constants for a few elementary reactions.     

VECTORIAL ELECTRON TRANSPORT ACROSS LIPID VESICLE MEMBRANES DRIVEN BY TWO PHOTOREACTIONS. I. ETHYLENEDIAMINETETRAACETIC ACID AS AN ELECTRON DONOR via FLAVIN TRIPLET STATE IN THE INNER COMPARTMENT AND CYTOCHROME c AS AN ELECTRON ACCEPTOR FROM CHLOROPHYLL TRIPLET STATE IN THE OUTER COMPARTMENT

Negatively charged vesicle suspensions containing chlorophyll a (chl) dissolved in the lipid bilayer, flavin mononucleotide (FMN) and/or ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) enclosed in the inner compartment as electron sources and oxidized cytochrome c (cyt c[ox]) in the outer compartment as an electron acceptor have been studied using laser flash photolysis and steady-state irradiation methods. Cytochrome c initially quenches the chl triplet state (³chl) generating the chlorophyll cation radical (chi⁺′) in the membrane. Reverse electron transfer from cyt c(red) to chl^+. subsequently occurs in a kinetically biphasic reaction, with rate constants of 430 pT 30 and 21.9 pT 1.7 s^?1 for the fast and slow phases, respectively. In the absence of FMN, reduction of chl⁺′ by EDTA in the inner compartment can be observed during steady-state irradiation but not in a laser flash photolysis experiment. This is due to a low reaction yield, which is probably limited by the repulsive electrostatic interaction between EDTA and the negatively charged membrane. When FMN was enclosed together with EDTA in the inner Compartment, the reaction yield of vectorial electron transfer across the bilayer from EDTA to cyt c(oX) was increased by a factor of six during steadystate white light irradiation. Laser flash photolysis and steady-state irradiation experiments using red and blue light excitation have demonstrated that the enhancement mechanism involves the formation of fully reduced FMN by blue light-sensitized photooxidation of EDTA via the flavin triplet state, occumng simultaneously with red lightsensitized electron transfer to cyt c via the chlorophyll triplet state.     

Thiourea-enhanced flavin photooxidation of benzyl alcohol

Upon irradiation, flavin oxidises 4-methoxybenzyl alcohol to the corresponding aldehyde using aerial O(2) as the terminal oxidant. We have observed that this reaction is significantly accelerated by the presence of thiourea. A series of thiourea-functionalised flavins has been prepared from flavin isothiocyanates and their photocatalytic efficiencies have been monitored by NMR. The alcohol photooxidation proceeds rapidly and cleanly with high turnover numbers of up to 580, exceeding previously reported performances. A likely mechanistic rationale for the more than 30-fold acceleration of the photo-redox reaction by thiourea has been derived from spectroscopic, electrochemical, and kinetic studies. Thus, thiourea acts as an electron-transfer mediator for the initial photooxidation of 4-methoxybenzyl alcohol by the excited flavins. This mechanism has similarities to electron-relay mechanisms in flavoenzymes, for which cysteine sulfenic acid intermediates are proposed. The observation that thiourea mediates flavin photo-redox processes is valuable for the design of more sophisticated photocatalysts based on Nature's best redox chromophore.     

Specificity of the redox photoreaction of dimers of thiadicarbocyanine dyes

The primary steps of the redox reaction of dimers of the thiadicarbocyanine dye and its 5,5′-dichloro derivative in aqueous solutions were studied in the presence of 4-nitroacetophenone, ascorbic acid, or hydroquinone. In water the dye molecules (anion, M^?) mainly exist as dimers M₂ ^2?. The laser pulse irradiation (10 ns, 532 nm) results in the population of the lowest triplet level M₂ ^2?, whose depletion occurs due to both intersystem crossing to the ground state and photoinduced transition to the highest triplet state of the dimer followed by photoionization. Photoionization at low intensities of a laser pulse proceeds via the one-quantum mechanism going to the two-quantum mechanism with an increase in the laser pulse intensity. The photooxidation of the dimer in the lowest triplet state with 4-nitroacetophenone results in the formation of unstable radical anion M₂ ^?· that spontaneously dissociates to monomer M^? and radical M^· of the dye. In the presence of electron donors (ascorbic acid, hydroquinone), the dimers in the triplet state are not photoreduced, but the electron donors reduce M₂ ^?· and M^· to the dye dimer and monomer, respectively.     

Revisiting the Origin of Bacterial Bioluminescence: QM/MM Study on Oxygenation Reaction of Reduced Flavin in Protein

Bacterial bioluminescence is initiated by the oxygenation reaction of reduced flavin mononucleotide in luciferase. This enzymatic oxygenation occurs in a wide range of biological processes including cellular redox metabolism, biocatalysis, biosynthesis and homeostasis. However, little is known about the mechanism of the enzymatic reaction between singlet reduced flavin and triplet oxygen. To explore the enigmatic oxygenation, for the first time, the reaction of reduced flavin anion with oxygen was studied in bacterial luciferase by a combined quantum mechanics and molecular mechanics method as well as molecular dynamics simulation. The calculated results demonstrate that the reaction proceeds via a proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) pathway, and the essential αHis44 acts as a catalytic acid to provide the proton. The currently proposed PCET mechanism clearly describes the initial steps of bacterial bioluminescence, and could be suitable for the other flavin oxygenation reactions in enzymes.     

THE FLAVIN-SENSITIZED PHOTOOXIDATION OF NUCLEOTIDES—II. THE PARTICIPATION OF THE FLAVIN TRIPLET STATE

Abstract— –A study has been made of the effects of a series of nucleotides upon the electronic excited states of lumiflavin in order to determine the mechanism of their flavin-sensitized oxidation. A hydrogen-abstraction mechanism is ruled out, because if the nucleotide acts as a reducing agent for the excited dye molecules, it should increase the rate of reduction of the dye when the irradiation is carried out in the absence of oxygen. However, each of the nucleotides studied was found to reduce the rate of anaerobic photoreduction. While oxidation by an intermediate species such as the dye 'moloxide' or singlet oxygen is not entirely ruled out, our evidence suggests that the initial reaction is between the nucleotide and the flavin triplet. This results in a loss of the triplet excitation energy and is a very efficient reaction, guanosine monophosphate shewing 36 per cent of the triplet quenching efficiency of potassium iodide. The relative rates of reaction of the nucleotides with the flavin triplet exactly parallels their quantum yields of sensitized photo-oxidation. The formation of ground-state complexes between flavin and nucleotide and the participation of the singlet excited state of the flavin are not considered to be important.     

THE SOLUTION PHOTODIMERIZATION OF URIDINE

Abstract— Quenching of the degradative photobleaching of FMN in anaerobic aqueous solution, and of the flavin-sensitized photo-oxidation of EDTA, alcohols, glycols, and glycerol, has been examined using flash techniques. The quenching can be produced by addition of KI, by successive flashes, and by increasing the flavin concentration (self-quenching). It is concluded that the lowest triplet is the photoreactive species in all systems, that the successive flash effect is due to triplet quenching by a reaction product, and that the concentration quenching may be due to either triplet-triplet annihilation or to reaction between a ground-state flavin and a flavin triplet.     

QUENCHING OF THE TRIPLET STATE OF CHLOROPHYLL a BY ASCORBIC ACID AND ASCORBATE IN ETHANOLIC SOLUTION

Abstract— Ascorbic acid and ascorbate in chlorophyll ethanol solution were found to be fairly efficient quenchers of the chlorophyll triplet state; comparable to the efficiency of ascorbic acid as a quencher in aqueous pyridine solution.
It has been well established that ascorbic acid quenches the triplet state of chlorophyll in aqueous pyridine solution.^(1,2) The bimolecular quenching constant, kQ , is very much less than that for O₂ or quinine.^(3,4)
Information regarding the quenching of the triplet state of chlorophyll by ascorbic acid in ethanolic solution is lacking. There has been some question as to whether ascorbic acid reduces photoexcited chloro-phyll-ethanolic solution because of its high oxidation potential, or because like the ascorbate ion, it acts only as a quencher; both ascorbic acid and ascorbate in high concentrations gave low quantum yields.⁽⁵⁾ The quenching of the triplet state by ascorbic acid and ascorbate was determined by the flash-photolytic method.     

TRIPLET STATE STUDIES OF FLAVINS BY ELECTRON PARAMAGNETIC RESONANCE—I

Abstract— The triplet state of flavin derivatives and d-amino acid oxidase was observed by electron paramagnetic resonance at 77°K.
Flavin triplets (Δ m =± 2) originate from the isoalloxazine ring and are resonant at 1560 guass.The half-life of the FMN triplet in 1 N HCl is 15 nisec.This life-time is prolonged indirectly by the presence of paramagnetic species, such as oxygen or free radicals.
The flavin triplet state is pH dependent.In neutral solution the nlaximum triplet yield is obtained and the longest life-time is observed.The triplet state is affected by intra-and inter-molecular complex formation, FAD is partially quenched by indirectly substituted adenine.Tryptophan quenches completely the FMN triplet.The FAD triplet of d-amino acid oxidase is enhanced but the life-time is shortened relative to a pure FAD solution.     

Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy of flavins and flavoenzymes: photochemical and photophysical aspects

Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy (FCS) was used to investigate the excited-state properties of flavins and flavoproteins in solution at the single molecule level. Flavin mononucleotide (FMN), flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) and lipoamide dehydrogenase served as model systems in which the flavin cofactor is either free in solution (FMN, FAD) or enclosed in a protein environment as prosthetic group (lipoamide dehydrogenase). Parameters such as excitation light intensity, detection time and chromophore concentration were varied in order to optimize the autocorrelation traces. Only in experiments with very low light intensity ( < 10 kW/cm2), FMN and FAD displayed fluorescence properties equivalent to those found with conventional fluorescence detection methods. Due to the high triplet quantum yield of FMN, the system very soon starts to build up a population of non-fluorescent molecules, which is reflected in an apparent particle number far too low for the concentration used. Intramolecular photoreduction and subsequent photobleaching may well explain these observations. The effect of photoreduction was clearly shown by titration of FMN with ascorbic acid. While titration of FMN with the quenching agent potassium iodide at higher concentrations ( > 50 mM of I-) resulted in quenched flavin fluorescence as expected, low concentrations of potassium iodide led to a net enhancement of the de-excitation rate from the triplet state, thereby improving the fluorescence signal. FCS experiments on FAD exhibited an improved photostability of FAD as compared to FMN: As a result of stacking of the adenine and flavin moieties, FAD has a considerably lower triplet quantum yield. Correlation curves of lipoamide dehydrogenase yielded correct values for the diffusion time and number of molecules at low excitation intensities. However, experiments at higher light intensities revealed a process which can be explained by photophysical relaxation or photochemical destruction of the enzyme. As the time constant of the process induced at higher light intensities resembles the diffusion time constant of free flavin, photodestruction with the concomitant release of the cofactor offers a reasonable explanation.     

STUDIES ON THE MECHANISM OF THE HEMATOPORPHYRIN-SENSITIZED PHOTOOXIDATION OF 1,3-DIPHENYLISOBENZOFURAN IN ETHANOL and UNILAMELLAR LIPOSOMES

The 5 microM hematoporphyrin-sensitized photooxidation of 1,3-diphenylisobenzofuran (DPBF) was studied in homogeneous ethanolic solutions and in aqueous dispersions of unilamellar liposomes of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine; both the porphyrin and DPBF are embedded in the phospholipid bilayer. The rate and quantum yield of DPBF photooxidation were found to increase upon increasing the substrate concentration and were higher in the liposome system, while they were unaffected by the fluidity of the phospholipid bilayer. Time-resolved spectroscopic measurements showed that the photooxidation of DPBF in ethanol solution proceeds by a type II O2(1 delta g)-involving mechanism. In the liposomal vesicles the high local concentration of hematoporphyrin (Hp) and DPBF in the phospholipid bilayer (ca 2000-fold higher than the stoichiometric concentration) enhances the probability of energy transfer from triplet Hp to DPBF with generation of triplet DPBF; hence O2 (1 delta g) formation can be promoted by both triplet Hp and triplet DPBF. A minor fraction of triplet DPBF quenchings appears to generate radical species which propagate DPBF damage by chain reaction.     

REACTIVITY OF EXCITED STATES OF FLAVIN AND 5-DEAZAFLAVIN IN ELECTRON TRANSFER REACTIONS

Abstract— Quenching of the excited states of lumiflavin and 3-methyl-5-deazalumiflavin by methyl-and methoxy-substituted benzenes and naphthalenes in methanol was investigated. The observed difference in the reactivity of acid and neutral lumiflavin triplets is explained thermodynamically by applying the Michaelis cycle, as being due to the higher reduction potential of the acid triplet. In this connection the p K values of lumiflavin triplet (p K ^M= 6.5) and semiquinone (p K ^M= 11.3) have also been determined in methanol. The difference in the reactivity between the singlet and triplet states of lumiflavin is found to be greater as predicted by the difference in excitation energy. The reactivities of the excited states of flavin and 5-deazaflavin differ only slightly in contrast to the marked difference in the ground state reactivities of electron transfer reactions. This is explained in terms of the model of Rehm and Weller. The pH dependence of the electron transfer quenching of 5-deazaflavin triplet was investigated in water, yielding a triplet p K of 2.5. In contrast to the flavin, this triplet p K does not significantly differ from the p K of the 5-deazaflavin ground state. From this, different sites of protonation are deduced for the photoexcited triplet states of flavin and 5-deazaflavin.     

Study of the interaction between triplet riboflavin and the alpha-, betaH- and betaL-crystallins of the eye lens

Time-resolved photolysis studies of riboflavin (RF) were carried out in the presence and absence of alpha-, betaH- and betaL-crystallins of bovine eye lens. The transient absorption spectra, recorded 5 micros after the laser pulse, reveal the presence of the absorption band (625-675 nm) of the RF neutral triplet state (tau = 42 micros) accompanied by the appearance of a long-lived absorption (tau = 320 micros) in the 500-600 nm region due to the formation of the semireduced RF radical. The RF excited state is quenched by the crystallin proteins through a mechanism that involves electron transfer from the proteins to the flavin, as shown by the decrease of the triplet RF band with the concomitant increase of the band of its semireduced form. Tryptophan loss on RF-sensitized photooxidation of the crystallins when irradiated with monochromatic visible light (450 nm) in a 5% oxygen atmosphere was studied. A direct correlation was found between the triplet RF quenching rate constants by the different crystallin fractions and the decomposition rate constants for the exposed and partially buried tryptophans in the proteins. The RF-sensitized photooxidation of the crystallins is accompanied by the decrease of the low molecular weight constituents giving rise to its multimeric forms. A direct correlation was observed between the initial rate of decrease of the low molecular weight bands corresponding to the irradiated alpha-, betaH- and betaL-crystallins and the quenching constant values of triplet RF by the different crystallins. The correlations found in this study confirm the importance of the Type-I photosensitizing mechanism of the crystallins, when RF acts as a sensitizer at low oxygen concentration, as can occur in the eye lens.     

Flavin-sensitized Photo-oxidation of Lysozyme and Serum Albumin

The excited state processes of riboflavin, flavin mononucleotide and flavin adenine dinucleotide in argon-saturated aqueous solution were studied in the presence of lysozyme or bovine serum albumin (BSA). UV–Vis absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy indicates that the noncovalent flavin-protein binding is relatively weak. Quenching of the flavin triplet state by BSA, observed by time-resolved photolysis, is less efficient than by lysozyme. Light-induced oxidation of the two proteins and reduction of the three flavins were studied. The quantum yields of the former and latter in the absence of oxygen are up to 0.1 and 0.04, respectively. The effects of pH and sensitizer and protein concentrations were examined in greater detail. The proposed reaction is electron transfer from the tryptophan moiety to the flavin triplet rather than excited singlet state.     

PROFLAVINE-SENSITIZED PHOTOOXIDATION OF METHIONINE

Abstract— A study was made of the kinetics of the proflavine-sensitized photooxidation of methionine to methionine sulfoxide. The reaction is inhibited by the paramagnetic ions Cu²⁺ and Mn²⁺, which suggests that the triplet state of the sensitizer is an intermediate. A mechanism is proposed in which methionine reacts with the first singlet state of oxygen, produced by energy transfer from the triplet sensitizer. The decrease in the rate of photooxidation with increasing proflavine concentration is ascribed to self-quenching of the excited singlet state of the dye.     

FLUORESCENCE AND PHOTOOXIDATION OF 1—ANILINONAPHTHALENE—8—SULFONIC ACID IN REVERSED MICELLAR SOLUTIONS AND THE EFFECT OF CCl4

Abstract— The 1-anilinonaphthalene-8-sulfonic acid solubilized in dodecylammonium propionate reversed micellar cyclohexanic solutions, emitted a strong fluorescence, and was photooxidized under aerobic conditions. Carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) highly quenched the fluorescence and remarkably enhanced the oxidation reaction. The fluorescence quenching obeyed the Stern-Volmer relation, and the photooxidation was caused by the singlet oxygen generated by the photosensitization of the dye. From the kinetic analysis, it was known that the intersystem crossing rate from the dye excited singlet to triplet was enhanced by CCl₄. Carbon tetrachloride did not quench the triplet state. The ratio of quantum yields for the oxidation in the presence and absence of CCl₄ was independent of the oxygen concentration in the reaction mixture. The fluorescence quenching constant and the intersystem crossing rate were obtained at various solubilized water contents.     

The role of triplet states in dye sensitization of ZnO electrodes

The quantum efficiency of photooxidation of a number of xanthene dyes at ZnO single crystal electrodes has been found to depend on the solution concentration of a triplet quenching agent, FeCN^4?₆, providing evidence for triplet state participation in the oxidation reaction.