Photophysics of Indocarbocyanine Dyes in Organic Solvents

The absorption and fluorescence properties of a series of 18 indocarbocyanine dyes in organic solvents have been determined. The wavelengths of the absorption and fluorescence maxima, the fluorescence lifetimes and the fluorescence quantum yields relative to the benzo-15-crown-5-substituted phthalocyanine have been measured. The results are discussed in relation to the molecular structures or the dye studied.     

Lowest excited triplet states of hypericin and isohypericin

The fluorescence and phosphorescence of hypericin and isohypericin were studied in an ethanol matrix at 1.2 K. The prompt fluorescence spectra are mirror images of the absorption around the 0-0 transition, as expected. The 0-0 vibronic lines of the phosphorescence are found at 13190 and 13622 cm⁻¹, and the phosphorescence decay times are 2.79 and 6.6 ms at 1.2 K for hypericin and isohypericin respectively. The fluorescence excitation spectrum of isohypericin reveals a small trace of a different pigment, possibly a tautomeric form of isohypericin. The decay of the phosphorescence of isohypericin is biexponential. The slow component is attributed to an unknown contaminant with a high quantum yield of phosphorescence.     

Rigid ground state structure of 1,2-dihydro-3H-benz[e]inden-3-one deformed in the lowest electronic triplet state

The X-ray diffraction of crystalline 1,2-dihydro-3H-benz[e]inden-3-one (DHBI) reveals that the molecular geometry is fully planar in the electronic ground state. Glassy solutions of naphthaldehyde, 2-acetonaphthone and methyl 2-naphthoate in the mixtures methylcyclohexane/iso-pentane (MIP) and methanol/ethanol (ME) are phosphorescent. DHBI in ME shows phosphorescence, but in MIP it is non-phosphorescent. The phosphorescence spectra of these compounds and of naphthalene have a strong resemblance. This is in accordance with a molecular distortion in the lowest triplet state, which decouples the π electron systems of the carbonyl group and the naphthyl group. The absence of phosphorescence of DHBI in MIP, indicates a geometry of the triplet state, having a non-planar naphthalene ring, when the molecule is in the non-hydrogen bonded form.     

溶液相有机化合物pKa的量子化学计算

寻找一种理论计算方法来验证和补充实验数据,得到较为精确的溶剂化自由能和pK_a值,是众多理论化学家长期以来研究的重要方向。本综述较为详细地总结了近年发展起来的PCM理论模型在溶液相化合物溶剂化自由能、特别是近十年来有机化合物pK_a值的量子化学计算中的最新成果,比较了各种不同计算方法的精确性和各自特点。     

Theoretical Study on Hydrogen Bonding of Mono‐ and Dihydrated Complexes of 7‐(3′‐Pyridyl)indole in Excited States

The intermolecular hydrogen bonds of mono‐ and dihydrated complexes of 7‐(3′‐Pyridyl)indole (7‐3′PI) have been investigated using the time‐dependent density functional theory (TD‐DFT) method. The electrostatic potential analysis of monomer 7‐3′PI and 7‐(3′‐Pyridyl)indole‐water (7‐3′PI‐W) indicates that an intermolecular hydrogen bond between two waters can be formed for 7‐(3′‐Pyridyl)indole‐2water (7‐3′PI‐2W) complex. The calculated bond lengths of the intermolecular hydrogen bonds of 7‐3′PI‐W and 7‐3′PI‐2W in the S₁ state (the first excited singlet state) are all shortened compared to the ground state. By the analysis of bond length, charge population and infrared spectra, it is demonstrated that the intermolecular hydrogen bonds of 7‐3′PI‐W and 7‐3′PI‐2W are all strengthened upon electronic excitation to the S1 state. Moreover, the fluorescence of 7‐3′PI‐W and 7‐3′PI‐2W are all red‐shifted to larger wavelength compared to monomer 7‐3′PI. The red‐shift of fluorescence peak of 7‐3′PI‐W and 7‐3′PI‐2W should be attributed to the change of hydrogen bond interaction before and after photoexcitation. Therefore, it can be concluded that the intermolecular hydrogen bonding strengthening in the excited S₁ state induces the fluorescence weakening of 7‐3′PI.     

Tetraphenylethylene-Based Hydrogen-Bonded Organic Frameworks (HOFs) with Brilliant Fluorescence

By synergistically employing four key strategies: (I) introducing tetraphenylethylene groups as the central core unit with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) properties, (II) optimizing the π-conjugated length by extending the building block branches, (III) incorporating flexible groups containing ethylenic bonds, and (IV) applying crystal engineering to attain dense stacking mode and highly twisty conformation, we successfully synthesized a series of hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks (HOFs) exhibiting exceptional one/two-photon excited fluorescence. Notably, when utilizing the fluorescently superior building block L2, HOF-LIFM-7 and HOF-LIFM-8 exhibiting high quantum yields (QY) of 82.1 % and 77.1 %, and ultrahigh two-photon absorption (TPA) cross-sections of 148959.5 GM and 123901.1 GM were achieved. These materials were successfully employed in one and two-photon excited lysosome-targeting cellular imaging. It is believed that this strategy, combining building block optimization and crystal engineering, holds significant potential for guiding the development of outstanding fluorescent HOF materials.     

Color-Tunable Dual-Mode Organic Afterglow from Classical Aggregation-Caused Quenching Compounds for White-Light-Manipulated Anti-Counterfeiting

Color-tunable dual-mode organic afterglow excited by ultraviolet (UV) and white light was achieved from classical aggregation-caused quenching compounds for the first time. Specifically, two luminescent systems, which could produce significant organic afterglow composed of persistent thermally activated delayed fluorescence and ultralong organic phosphorescence under ambient conditions, were constructed by doping fluorescein sodium and calcein sodium into aluminum sulfate. Their lifetimes surpassed 600 ms, and the dopant concentrations were as low as 5×10⁻⁶ wt %. Moreover, the persistent luminescence colors of the materials could be tuned from blue to green and then to yellow by simply varying the concentrations of guest compounds or the temperature in the range of 260–340 K. Inspired by these exciting results, the afterglow materials were used for UV- and white-light-manipulated anti-counterfeiting and preparation of elastomers with different colors of persistent luminescence.     

1-Naphthol as an excited state proton transfer fluorescent probe for sensing bound-water hydration of polyvinyl alcohol

When 1-naphthol incorporated polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) films are allowed to swell in water, there is a loss of fluorescence intensity of the neutral form with a concomitant increase of the anionic form fluorescence intensity. This fluorescence response due to the excited state prototropism (ESPT) of 1-naphthol is very sensitive to the initial stage of hydration of the PVA. Using an existing model of hydrogel swelling and DSC experiments, it was reasoned that 1-naphthol senses the bound-water component of PVA hydration. Thus, 1-naphthol is proposed as an ESPT fluorescent sensor for the specific sensing of bound-water hydration of PVA hydrogel.     

有机染料敏化太阳电池中激发态弛豫和电子注入的超快光谱研究

为了实现窄能隙有机光敏剂的理性设计,有必要全面理解发生在二氧化钛/染料/电解质复杂界面的激发态演化动力学。本文通过构建分别以苯并噻二唑-苯甲酸(BTBA)和吡啶并噻二唑-苯甲酸(PTBA)为电子受体的有机给受体染料,借助超快瞬态吸收光谱测量与理论模拟,我们发现在实际的二氧化钛/染料/电解质界面存在激发态多步弛豫与多态电子注入的过程。密度泛函理论及含时密度泛函理论计算表明,二氧化钛表面的光激发产生的"热"激发态染料分子会通过分子片段间的扭转运动发生显著的多步结构弛豫,最终形成共轭骨架具有醌式结构、更加平面化的平衡构型。通过对飞秒瞬态吸收光谱进行目标分析,我们发现相对于以苯并噻二唑-苯甲酸为电子受体的染料,以吡啶并噻二唑-苯甲酸为电子受体的染料呈现出较慢的电子注入速率与较短的激发态寿命,导致总的电子注入产率较低,给出了基于该染料所制备的太阳电池的外量子产率峰值低的原因。     

Effect of the Pretreatment of Lipase with Organic Solvents on its Conformation and Activity in Reverse Micelles

The activity and conformation of Chromobacterium viscosum lipase-pretreated with various organic solvents were investigated. The pretreatment of lipase led to a substantial increase of enzyme activity in AOT (sodium bis [2-ethyl -1-hexyl] sulfosuccinate)/isooctane/water reverse micelles. Among the organic solvents used, n-hexane was found to be most effective. It was observed that higher hexane content with shorter agitation time and vice versa had almost the same effect on the initial activity of lipase. The kinetic study showed that the Michaelis constant (K _m) and the substrate adsorption equilibrium constant (K _ad) were reduced by the pretreatment of lipase with hexane, whereas the change in the maximum reaction rate (V _max) was insignificant. The two spectroscopic techniques (Fluorescence spectra of lipase encapsulated in RMs and Fourier transform infrared [FTIR] spectra of lipase powders) were performed to detect possible conformational changes in the enzyme caused by the pretreatment. A correlation between the maximum fluorescence intensity and the activity of treated lipase was found as a function of agitation time. The FTIR spectrum of lipase showed a new shape peak corresponding to 1,500 cm⁻¹ as a result of pretreatment with organic solvents.     

Diboraanthracene-Doped Polymer Systems for Colour-Tuneable Room-Temperature Organic Afterglow

Organic ultralong room temperature phosphorescence (RTP), or organic afterglow, is a unique phenomenon, gaining widespread attention due to its far-reaching application potential and fundamental interest. Here, two laterally expanded 9,10-dimesityl-dihydro-9,10-diboraanthracene (DBA) derivatives are demonstrated as excellent afterglow materials for red and blue-green light emission, which is traced back to persistent thermally activated delayed fluorescence and RTP. The lateral substitution of polycyclic DBA scaffold, together with weak transversal electron-donating mesityl groups, ensures the optimal molecular properties for (reverse) intersystem crossing and long-lived triplet states in a rigid poly(methyl methacrylate) matrix. The achieved afterglow emission quantum yields of up to 3 % and 15 %, afterglow lifetimes up to 0.8 s and 3.2 s and afterglow durations up to 5 s and 25 s (for red and blue-green emitters, respectively) are attributed to the properties of single molecules.     

光敏剂亚甲蓝与不同溶剂的相互作用研究

应用光谱法研究了新光敏剂亚甲蓝在不同溶剂中的电子光谱特性，通过Ｋａｓｈａ理论推测了其在不同溶剂中二聚体的分子构造模式，其二聚体的面－面间距离为１．３４５～１．４２５ｎｍ，面间角为８２．９°～８７．５°确认由ＭｃＲａｅ式对亚甲蓝与不同溶剂间的相互作用下方式进行评价是可行的，提出了亚甲蓝在不同溶剂中分子间力的相互结合作用导致亚甲蓝在溶液中的结构变化，产生光谱差异的原因，阐述了溶液状态与选择性分子间力的     

Absorption and Fluorescence Emission Spectra of Molecules Containing Azo and/or Oxadiazole Units

The ground state structures of a series of organic molecules containing azo and/or oxadiazole units were obtained by means of density functional theory B3LYP/6-31G(d) method. The first singlet excited state structures were optimized by virtue of singlet-excitation configuration interaction CIS/6-31G(d) method. The absorption and fluorescence emission spectra were then evaluated via the time-dependent density functional theory B3LYP and PBE1PBE methods with 6-311++G(3df,2p) basis set. The calculation results show that compared with those of their parent molecules A-H, B-H, C-H, D-H, the absorption and emission wavelength values of all the derivatives show red shifts. The derivatives containing both the oxadiazole and methoxyl units are good candidates for longer absorption wavelength materials. The effects of azo, oxadiazole, and methoxyl units on the absorption and emission wavelength were discussed.     

The calculation of ground and excited state molecular polarizabilities: A simple perturbation treatment

Second order perturbation theory has been coupled with the CNDO/S CI method of Del Bene and Jaffé to calculate the ground and excited state polarizabilities of various molecules. It is found that this treatment produces reasonably good polarizabilities with great computational ease.     

Photoluminescence Properties of Graphene Oxide in Non-Aqueous Solvents

Detailed attention to the interaction between graphene oxide (GO) and various organic fluorophores has been documented in literature as a result of which the impact of GO on the photophysical properties of the fluorophores is well known to the scientific community. However, the photoluminescence (PL) properties of GO in polar aprotic solvents are yet to be established. In this article, the PL properties of GO in polar aprotic solvents using various spectroscopic techniques have been reported. n-π* transition due to the C=O bonds in the sp³ hybrid regions and π-π* transition due to C=C bonds in the sp² hybrid are prominent in GO. The presence of quasi-molecules within sp²-sp³ domains acts as PL centers located in the sp³ matrixes of GO are responsible for the PL properties. This study showcases the presence of multiple emissive states of GO in polar aprotic solvents and conveys the fact that the PL properties of GO are very much wavelength-dependent.     

Fluorescence quenching of naphthols by Cu2+ in micelles

Effect of the micelles of anionic, cationic and non-ionic surfactants on the fluorescence quenching of 1- and 2-naphthols has been studied in the presence of copper ion. The excited state lifetime, dynamic and static quenching constants for these systems have been determined. Fluorescence quenching in water and SDS micelle is due to the collision of the fluorophore with the quencher with a small static component. The negatively charged naphtholate ions in the excited state are quenched with significantly higher rates than the neutral naphthol molecules, which are located further inside the mesophase. CTAB micelle is less effective than the SDS micelle for fluorescence quenching. The effect of CTAB on water-assisted excited-state deprotonation has been investigated in the presence of ZnSO₄. For TX-100 micelle there is negligible quenching even at higher concentration of the quencher.     

Studies on curcumin and curcuminoids. XXXIV. Photophysical properties of a symmetrical, non-substituted curcumin analogue

Curcumin is the main constituent of curry. In its ground state it shows chemo-preventive, chemo-therapeutic, anti-inflammatory and immune stimulating effects, and it is considered as a drug or drug model in the treatment of AIDS and cystic fibrosis. Further biological activity is induced in curcumin by light exposure: cytotoxicity is enhanced and photosensitized antibacterial effects are achieved. For the curcumin cis enol conformer, the fastest deactivation mechanism of the first excited singlet state is an excited-state intra-molecular proton transfer, which brings curcumin back to the ground state. This mechanism, as well as reketonization, interaction with the solvent and photodegradation, compete with the phototherapeutic action. The native compound curcumin carries phenolic hydroxyl and methoxy groups that influence the molecular charge distribution and hence the excited-state intra-molecular proton transfer rate in an unpredictable way. In this work we study static and time-resolved spectroscopic properties of a non-substituted curcuminoid that lacks both the phenolic hydroxyl and the phenolic methoxy groups. The photophysical properties of this compound are compared to those of native curcumin, in order to provide a rationale to the design of curcuminoids with molecular structures optimized for a photosensitizer.     

Studies on Hybrid Organic/Inorganic Nanocomposite Gels Using Photoluminescence Techniques

Summary.  Transparent nanocomposite gels made of hybrid organic/inorganic polymers, synthesized through the sol-gel method, composed of poly-(ethylene oxide) or poly-(propylene oxide) chains, and grafted on silica through urea bridges, have been studied by steady-state and time-resolved photoluminescence techniques. These nanocomposite materials consist of two distinguished subphases, an organic and an inorganic one. The volume fraction of the organic (polyether) subphase is larger than that of the inorganic (silica) subphase, and it increases with increasing polyether chain size. The condensation of the silica subphase provides luminescent entities emitting light by electron-hole recombination on delocalized states associated with the active chemical species of the urea bridges. Materials with smaller polyether chains are more luminescent than such with longer polyether chains. Divalent or trivalent cations introduced into these materials enhance the luminescence intensity by solubilization close to the silica cluster surface and thus by decreasing surface defects and the ensuing quenching mechanism. Received June 23, 2000. Accepted (revised) July 18, 2000     

有机介质对2,3—二氨基吩嗪的荧光增敏作用研究

研究了有机介质对漆酶催化氧化邻苯二胺的产物－２，３－二氨基吩嗪（ＤＡＰ）的光谱性质的影响，结果表明，极性有机介质对其吸收光谱影响较小，但对其荧光具有强烈的增敏作用，荧光量子效率可提高近３０倍，据此，建立了有机介质增敏荧光测定ＤＡＰ的新方法，进一步研究表明：有机介质对２，３－二氨基吩嗪的荧光增敏原因在于其增溶作用，供电子效应及对ＤＡＰ分子吸收性能的增强。     

共轭尺寸和表面氧化协同触发的红色荧光碳点用于有机溶剂中痕量水的检测

以邻苯二胺和盐酸多巴胺为前体,利用磷酸调节反应体系的pH值(pH=7, 3, 1),制备了荧光逐渐红移的碳点(CDs):CDs-7(绿光)、 CDs-3(橙光)和CDs-1(红光).通过透射电子显微镜(TEM)、拉曼光谱(Raman)、傅里叶变换红外光谱(FTIR)、 X射线电子能谱(XPS)、紫外-可见吸收光谱和荧光衰减曲线分析表明,反应体系pH值的减小促进了前体碳化交联,导致sp2共轭域尺寸和石墨化程度增加,从而使CDs的荧光红移.另外,酸性环境有利于使CDs表面氧化形成羧基,促进CDs荧光红移的同时改善了量子效率(QY).利用CDs-1量子产率高(14.8%)和发光的溶剂依赖特性,将其作为荧光探针分别检测了乙醇(EtOH)、 N,N-二甲基甲酰胺(DMF)和1,4-二氧六环(DIO)中的痕量水,检出限分别为0.86%, 0.123%和0.023%,表明CDs-1在痕量水的检测方面具有应用潜力.