Supramolecular assembly confined purely organic room temperature phosphorescence and its biological imaging

Purely organic room temperature phosphorescence, especially in aqueous solution, is attracting increasing attention owing to its large Stokes shift, long lifetime, low preparation cost, low toxicity, good processing performance advantages, and broad application value. This review mainly focuses on macrocyclic (cyclodextrin and cucurbituril) hosts, nanoassembly, and macromolecule (polyether) confinement-driven RTP. As an optical probe, the assembly and the two-stage assembly strategy can realize the confined purely organic RTP and achieve energy transfer and light-harvesting from fluorescence to delayed fluorescence or phosphorescence. This supramolecular assembly is widely applied for luminescent materials, cell imaging, and other fields because it effectively avoids oxygen quenching. In addition, the near-infrared excitation, near-infrared emission, and in situ imaging of purely organic room temperature phosphorescence in assembled confinement materials are also prospected.

Purely organic room temperature phosphorescence, especially in aqueous solution, is attracting increasing attention owing to its large Stokes shift, long lifetime, low preparation cost, low toxicity, good processing performance advantages, and broad application value.     

Absorption and emission spectroscopic characterization of Ir(ppy)3

The absorption and emission spectroscopic behaviour of cyclometalated fac-tris(2-phenylpyridine) iridium(III) [Ir(ppy)₃] is studied at room temperature. Liquid solutions, doped films, and neat films are investigated. The absorption cross-section spectra including singlet–triplet absorption, the triplet–singlet stimulated emission cross-section spectra, the phosphorescence quantum distributions, the phosphorescence quantum yields and the phosphorescence signal decays are determined. In neat films fluorescence self-quenching occurs, in diluted solid solution (polystyrene and dicarbazole-biphenyl films) as well as deaerated liquid solution (toluene) high phosphorescence quantum yields are obtained, and in air-saturated liquid solutions (chloroform, toluene, tetrahydrofuran) the phosphorescence efficiency is reduced by triplet oxygen quenching. At intense short-pulse laser excitation the phosphorescence lifetime is shortened by triplet–triplet annihilation. No amplification of spontaneous emission in the phosphorescence spectral region was observed indicating higher excited-state absorption than stimulated emission.     

A purely organic D-π-A-π-D emitter with thermally activated delayed fluorescence and room temperature phosphorescence for near-white OLED

A purely organic D-π-A-π-D type emitter showing thermally activated delayed fluorescence(TADF) and room temperature phosphorescence(RTP) was designed and synthesized by utilizing the benzophenone as an acceptor and the N-phenyl-2-napthylamine as a donor moiety.It exhibits considerable TADF character in doped PMMA film and room temperature phosphorescence with a long lifetime of 74 ms at466 nm in solid state.The devices with the configuration of ITO/Mo_2 O_3(4 nm)/mCP(30 nm)/mCP:x wt%NP2 BP/TmTyPB(60 nm)/LiF(1.5 nm)/AI(100 nm) were prepared by vacuum evaporation to explore their electroluminescent performance.Intere stingly,the non-doped device has obtained near-white emission with a fluorescence emission peak at 475 nm and a phosphore scence emission peak at 563 nm having the CIE coordinate of(0.23,0.32) and the maximum external quantum efficiency of 1.09%.     

Regioisomerism effect (RIE) on optimizing ultralong organic phosphorescence lifetimes

Organic phosphorescence materials demonstrate potential optoelectronic applications due to their remarkably ultralong organic phosphorescence (UOP) lifetime and abundant optical characteristics prior to the fluorescence materials. For a better insight into the intrinsic relationship among regioisomeric molecules, crystalline interactions, and phosphorescence properties, three crystalline dicarbazol-9-yl pyrazine-based regioisomers with para-, meta-, and ortho-convergent substitutions (p-DCzP, m-DCzP, and o-DCzP) were designed and presented gradually increased UOP lifetimes prolonging from 63.14, 127.93 to 350.46 ms, respectively, due to the regioisomerism effect (RIE) which would be an effective strategy for better understanding of structure-property of UOP materials.     

Effect of halogenated compounds on the photophysics of C70 and a monoadduct of C70: Some implications on optical limiting behaviour

The fluorescence spectra, quantum yields and lifetimes of C₇₀ and a pseudo-dihydro derivative (C₇₀R) have been measured in a wide range of solvents at room temperature. This information is important for the development of reverse saturable absorbers. Phosphorescence spectra and phosphorescence lifetimes were also measured at low temperature. The fluorescence is subject to quenching by halogenated compounds. The efficiency of quenching follows the order I>Br≫Cl. The nature of the quenching is shown to vary, with chlorinated compounds exhibiting static quenching of fullerene fluorescence, owing to nonfluorescent complex formation, whilst those compounds containing bromine and iodine exhibit dynamic quenching due to the external heavy-atom effect, that increases the intersystem crossing rate constant in the fluorophore–perturber complex. This constant is evaluated by an original method from the bimolecular quenching rate constants. The phosphorescence quantum yield of both fullerenes at 77 K slightly increases in the presence of iodobenzene, in spite of a strong decrease in phosphorescence lifetime. The marked increase of the intersystem crossing rate constant in concentrated solutions owing to the external heavy-atom effect is of interest for the application of fullerenes as fast-responding optical limiters (reverse saturable absorbers) of intense laser pulses, even in cases where the triplet quantum yield is of the order of unity.     

Designing Efficient and Ultralong Pure Organic Room‐Temperature Phosphorescent Materials by Structural Isomerism

Pure organic materials with ultralong room‐temperature phosphorescence (RTP) are attractive alternatives to inorganic phosphors. However, they generally show inefficient intersystem crossing (ISC) owing to weak spin–orbit coupling (SOC). A design principle based on the realization of small energy gap between the lowest singlet and triplet states (ΔE_ST) and pure ππ* configuration of the lowest triplet state (T₁) via structural isomerism was used to obtain efficient and ultralong RTP materials. The meta isomer of carbazole‐substituted methyl benzoate exhibits an ultralong lifetime of 795.0 ms with a quantum yield of 2.1 %. Study of the structure–property relationship shows that the varied steric and conjugation effects imposed by ester substituent at different positions are responsible for the small ΔE_ST and pure ππ* configuration of T₁.     

Study on spectroscopic characterization of Pd porphyrin and its interaction with ctDNA

The fluorescence and solid substrate room temperature phosphorescence (SS-RTP) properties of Pd(II) meso-tetrakis (4-N-methyl-pyridiniumyl) porphyrin (Pd(II)TMPyP) were studied. The factors influencing the SS-RTP emission, such as filter type, inorganic salt sort, drying temperature, pre-drying time and drying time were investigated in detail. Strong SS-RTP signal can be induced on the slow speed filter paper in the presence of the external inorganic salt, Ca(NO₃)₂, with the maximum excitation and emission wavelengths at 421 nm and 675 nm, respectively. The interaction between calf thymus DNA (ctDNA) and Pd(II)TMPyP was investigated at pH 7.2 using SS-RTP, fluorescence and UV-vis spectroscopy. The SS-RTP intensity of Pd(II)TMPyP was enhanced efficiently with the increasing amount of ctDNA. This phenomenon demonstrates that the intercalated porphyrin is shielded by ctDNA to avoid collision quenching. This result was supported by SS-RTP lifetime measurement, SS-RTP anion quenching experiment and fluorescence polarization measurement. Furthermore, with the addition of ctDNA, the UV-vis spectra of Pd(II)TMPyP shows apparent hypochromicity (40%) at the Soret maximum of 417 nm and a red shift of Δλ = 15 nm, also indicating that Pd(II)TMPyP intercalates into ctDNA bases. The binding constant of Pd(II)TMPyP to ctDNA was calculated to be 4.41 × 10⁵ L/mol based on the derivative McGhee-von Hippel plots.     

Organic Room‐Temperature Phosphorescence with Strong Circularly Polarized Luminescence Based on Paracyclophanes

Pure organic materials with intrinsic room‐temperature phosphorescence typically rely on heavy atoms or heteroatoms. Two different strategies towards constructing organic room‐temperature phosphorescence (RTP) species based upon the through‐space charge transfer (TSCT) unit of [2.2]paracyclophane (PCP) were demonstrated. Materials with bromine atoms, PCP‐BrCz and PPCP‐BrCz, exhibit RTP lifetime of around 100 ms. Modulating the PCP core with non‐halogen‐containing electron‐withdrawing units, PCP‐TNTCz and PCP‐PyCNCz, successfully elongate the RTP lifetime to 313.59 and 528.00 ms, respectively, the afterglow of which is visible for several seconds under ambient conditions. The PCP‐TNTCz and PCP‐PyCNCz enantiomers display excellent circular polarized luminescence with dissymmetry factors as high as ?1.2×10^?2 in toluene solutions, and decent RTP lifetime of around 300 ms for PCP‐TNTCz enantiomers in crystalline state.     

The development of room temperature phosphorescence into a new technique for chemical determinations : Part 1. Physical Aspects of Room Temperature Phosphorescence

The development and physical aspects of room temperature phosphorescence are reviewed in this first part of a two-part series. Certain fundamental aspects of phosphorescence are presented. The novel phenomenon of room temperature phosphorescence (strong phosphorescence for organic compounds adsorbed on appropriate substrates) is then treated in detail. Specific attention is given to the nature of the support-phosphor interaction and the quenching effects of moisture and oxygen on room temperature phosphorescence. Thorough coverage is also given to the heavy-atom effect. The effects of the sample matrix on certain phosphorescent properties, such as lifetime, intensity and spectral characteristics, are mentioned.     

Tict fluorescence in rigid matrices: α-delayed fluorescence

The observation of the dual fluorescence of 4-N,N-dimethylaminobenzonitrile (DMABN) in polyvinylalcohol has been extended to other matrices able to act as hydrogen-bond donors (nylon and polyurethane) and to related molecules. A model of α-delayed fluorescence is proposed to account for the properties of the luminescence in rigid matrices. This proposal is consistent with: the positive polarization of the anomalous fluorescence (room temperature) while the polarization of phosphorescence is negative (at 77 K); the quenching of the anomalous fluorescence by lowering the temperature; the very long lifetime (τ ≈ 1 s) of the anomalous fluorescence, in the same range as the phosphorescence lifetime.     

Crystal‐State Photochromism and Dual‐Mode Mechanochromism of an Organic Molecule with Fluorescence,Room‐Temperature Phosphorescence,and Delayed Fluorescence

A D‐A‐D′ type pure organic molecule, named ODFRCZ, has unique triple‐emission character covering fluorescence, phosphorescence, and delayed fluorescence (DF). The phosphorescence of ODFRCZ has a rather long lifetime of about 350 ms at room temperature. One dimer of ODFRCZ with enhanced parallel molecular packing acts more effectively to prompt ISC processes, which further generates room‐temperature phosphorescence (RTP), owing to the larger transition dipole moment and closer energy level between S₁ and T_n. ODFRCZ is a rare example of an organic RTP molecule that shows dual‐stimuli responsiveness of dual‐mode mechanochromism (fluorescence red‐shift and RTP/DF on‐off switch) and reversible crystal‐state photochromism. This work may broaden the knowledge for stimuli‐responsive RTP organic molecules and lay the foundation for their wide‐scale applications.     

Crystal‐State Photochromism and Dual‐Mode Mechanochromism of an Organic Molecule with Fluorescence,Room‐Temperature Phosphorescence,and Delayed Fluorescence

A D‐A‐D′ type pure organic molecule, named ODFRCZ, has unique triple‐emission character covering fluorescence, phosphorescence, and delayed fluorescence (DF). The phosphorescence of ODFRCZ has a rather long lifetime of about 350 ms at room temperature. One dimer of ODFRCZ with enhanced parallel molecular packing acts more effectively to prompt ISC processes, which further generates room‐temperature phosphorescence (RTP), owing to the larger transition dipole moment and closer energy level between S₁ and T_n. ODFRCZ is a rare example of an organic RTP molecule that shows dual‐stimuli responsiveness of dual‐mode mechanochromism (fluorescence red‐shift and RTP/DF on‐off switch) and reversible crystal‐state photochromism. This work may broaden the knowledge for stimuli‐responsive RTP organic molecules and lay the foundation for their wide‐scale applications.     

Phosphorescence and its characteristics in pyridine vapor

The phosphorescence emission of pyridine-d₀ and -d₅ has been observed in the vapor phase by means of time-resolved spectroscopy. The results of the experiments, which are described in full detail in this paper, on the phosphorescence spectrum, the excitation spectrum, the phosphorescence decay and sensitization of biacetyl phosphorescence indicate that the emission concerned is the genuine phosphorescence of the pyridines. For pyridine-d₀ (-d₅), the wavelength of the phosphorescence maximum is 450 nm (440 nm), the phosphorescence quantum yield 1.5 × 10^?6) (1.7 × 10^?6) and the phosphorescence lifetime is 1.2 μs (2.1 μs), the values for pyridine-d₅ being given in parentheses. The phosphorescence characteristics of pyridine are compared with those of other related molecules. The nature of the phosphorescent triplet state of pyridine is discussed with particular regard to the exceptionally fast non-radiative decay from that state.     

Crystallization-induced dual emission from metal- and heavy atom-free aromatic acids and esters

Pure organic materials exhibiting room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) have significant fundamental importance and promising optoelectronic and biological applications. Exploration of metal- and heavy atom-free pure organic phosphors, however, remains challenging because achieving emissive triplet relaxation that outcompetes the vibrational loss is difficult without metal or heavy atoms. In this contribution, in contrast to aggregation-caused quenching (ACQ) normally observed in conventional chromophores, a unique phenomenon of crystallization-induced dual emission (CIDE), namely, simultaneously boosted fluorescence and phosphorescence upon crystallization, is observed in a group of pure organic aromatic acids and esters at ambient conditions. Moreover, two triplet-involved relaxations of delayed fluorescence (DF) and phosphorescence are activated. Such efficient intrinsic emission from both singlet and triplet states in a single compound without employing metal or heavy atoms is suitable for a variety of fundamental research and applications.     

Aggregation-Induced Dual Phosphorescence from (o-Bromophenyl)-Bis(2,6-Dimethylphenyl)Borane at Room Temperature

Designing highly efficient purely organic phosphors at room temperature remains a challenge because of fast non-radiative processes and slow intersystem crossing (ISC) rates. The majority of them emit only single component phosphorescence. Herein, we have prepared 3 isomers (o, m, p-bromophenyl)-bis(2,6-dimethylphenyl)boranes. Among the 3 isomers ( o -, m - and p - BrTAB ) synthesized, the ortho-one is the only one which shows dual phosphorescence, with a short lifetime of 0.8 ms and a long lifetime of 234 ms in the crystalline state at room temperature. Based on theoretical calculations and crystal structure analysis of o - BrTAB , the short lifetime component is ascribed to the T₁^M state of the monomer which emits the higher energy phosphorescence. The long-lived, lower energy phosphorescence emission is attributed to the T₁^A state of an aggregate, with multiple intermolecular interactions existing in crystalline o - BrTAB inhibiting nonradiative decay and stabilizing the triplet states efficiently.     

Phosphorescence from pyrimidine vapor

The phosphorescence from pyrimidine vapor has been observed by a method of time-resolved laser spectroscopy. The phosphorescence spectrum commences at 350.5 nm and consists mainly of three totally symmetric vibrations in the ground state, v_6a, v₁₂ and v_9a as in the case of the zero-point vibrational level fluorescence of pyrimidine vapor. The phosphorescence quantum yield and lifetime are found to be about 1 × 10^?4 and 50 μs.     

An Unexpected Chromophore–Solvent Reaction Leads to Bicomponent Aggregation‐Induced Phosphorescence

Organic luminogens with persistent room‐temperature phosphorescence (RTP) have found a wide range of applications. However, many RTP luminogens are prone to severe quenching in the crystalline state. Herein, we report a strategy to construct a donor‐sp³‐acceptor type luminogen that exhibits aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) while the donor‐sp²‐acceptor counterpart structure exhibits a non‐emissive solid state. Unexpectedly, it was discovered that a trace amount (0.01 %) of the structurally similar derivative, produced by a side reaction with the DMF solvent, could induce strong RTP with an absolute RTP yield up to 25.4 % and a lifetime of 48 ms, although the substance does not show RTP by itself. Single‐crystal XRD‐based calculations suggest that n–σ* orbital interactions as a result of structural similarity may be responsible for the strong RTP in the bicomponent system. This study provides a new insight into the design of multi‐component, solid‐state RTP materials from organic molecular systems.     

Cucurbit[n]urils-induced room temperature phosphorescence of quinoline derivatives

The cucurbit[7,8]urils (Q[7] and Q[8])-induced room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) of quinoline and its derivatives were firstly found in the cucurbit[n]urils chemistry. The luminophores (quinolines) and their RTP are affected by the concentration of different Q[n]s, heavy metal ions and amounts, and pH. The RTP lifetime of the luminophore has been investigated. In presence of Na₂SO₃, the cation Tl⁺ led to stronger Q[n]-induced RTP, while the RTP lifetimes of luminophore/Q[7 or 8]/KI were generally longer than that of luminophore/Q[7 or 8]/TlNO₃, the RTP lifetimes of these systems were between 0.18 and 47.4 ms. Contrary to the stable 1:2 Q[8]:guest ternary inclusion complexes at lower pHs, as suggested by ¹H NMR, electronic absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy, low Q[8]-induced room temperature phosphorescence was observed. However, at higher pHs, high intensity of cucurbit[n]urils-induced room temperature phosphorescence of these quinoline derivatives were observed, and a 1:1 Q[8]:guest inclusion complex was formed. Investigations of dependence of RTP intensity on concentration of Q[n] revealed that the highest intensity of the Q[n]-induced RTP was observed at a low mole ratio of host:guest, which is closed to 1:1. It was presumably resulted from the strong interaction of Q[n] and these guests due to the combined hydrophobic cavity interaction and the hydrophilic portal interaction of the cucurbit[n]urils with the nitrogen heterocycles guest.     

Flexibility in Proteins: Tuning the Sensitivity to O2 Diffusion by Varying the Lifetime of a Phosphorescent Sensor in Horseradish Peroxidase¶

The heme in horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was replaced by phosphorescent Pt‐mesoporphyrin IX (PtMP), which acted as a phosphorescent marker of oxygen quenching and allowed comparison with another probe, Pd‐mesoporphyrin IX (Khajehpour et al. (2003) Proteins 53, 656–666). Benzohydroxamic acid (BHA), a competitive inhibitor of the enzyme, was also used to monitor its effects on phosphorescence quenching. With the addition of BHA, in the presence of oxygen, the phosphorescence intensity of the protein increased. In contrast, the addition of BHA, in the absence of oxygen, reduced the phosphorescence intensity of the protein. K_d= 18 μM when BHA binds to PtMP‐HRP. The effect of BHA can be explained by two factors: ( 1 ) BHA reduces the accessibility of O₂ to the protein interior and ( 2 ) BHA itself quenches the phosphorescence. Consistent with this, the oxygen quenching of the phosphorescence of PtMP‐HRP gave a quenching constant of k_q= 234 mm Hg^?1 s^?1 in the absence of BHA and k_q= 28.7 mm Hg^?1 s^?1 in the presence of BHA. The quenching rate of BHA is 4000 s^?1. The relative quantum yield of the phosphorescence of the Pt derivative is about six times that of the Pd derivative, whereas the phosphorescence lifetime is approximately eight times shorter. The high quantum yield and suitable lifetime make Pt‐porphyrins appropriate as sensors of O₂ diffusion and flexibility in heme proteins.     

Theoretical DFT study of phosphorescence from porphyrins

Geometrical structure of free-base porphin (H₂P) and Mg- and Zn-porphyrins together with their vibrational frequencies and vibronic intensities in phosphorescence are investigated by density functions theory (DFT) with the standard B3LYP functional. These molecules have a closed-shell singlet ground state (S₀) and low-lying triplet (T₁) excited states of ππ* type. The S₀–T₁ transition probability and radiative lifetime of phosphorescence (τ_p) of these molecules are calculated by time-dependent DFT utilizing quadratic response functions for account of spin–orbit coupling (SOC) and electric-dipole transition moments including displacements along active vibrational modes. The infrared and Raman spectra in the ground singlet and first excited triplet states are also studied for proper assignment of vibronic patterns. The long radiative lifetime of free-base porphin phosphorescence (τ_p ∼ 360 s at low temperature limit, 4.2 K) gets considerably shorter for the metalloporphyrins. An order of magnitude reduction of τ_p is predicted for Mg-porphyrin but no change of phosphorescence polarization is found. A forty times enhancement of the radiative phosphorescence rate constant is obtained for Zn-porphyrin in comparison with the H₂P molecule which is accompanied by a strong change of polarization and spin-sublevel radiative activity. A strong vibronic activity of free-base porphin phosphorescence is found for the b_2g mode at 430 cm⁻¹, while the 679 and 715 cm⁻¹ vibronic bands of b_3g symmetry are less active. These and other out-of-plane vibrations produce considerable changes in the radiative constants of different spin sublevels of the triplet state; they also promote the S₁ → T₁ intersystem crossing. Among the in-plane vibrations the a_g mode at 1614 cm⁻¹ is found very active; it produces a long progression in the phosphorescence spectrum. The time-dependent DFT calculations explain the effects of the transition metal atom on phosphorescence of porphyrins and reproduce differences in their phosphorescence and EPR spectra.