Porphyrin J-aggregates stabilized by ferric myoglobin in neutral aqueous solution

J-aggregates of a diacid form (H4TPPS2-) of 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-sulfonatophenyl)porphyrin (H2TPPS4-) were stabilized by binding with ferric myoglobin (metMb) in aqueous solution at neutral pH. The J-aggregates gradually dissociated to monomeric H2TPPS(4-). The average half-lifetime (t1/2) of the J-aggregates in the presence of sufficient amounts of metMb was ca. 3 h in phosphate buffer at pH 7.0 and 25 degrees C. The stabilization of the J-aggregate by metMb is ascribed to encapsulation and fixation of an edge-to-edge structure of the J-aggregate by the relatively rigid protein molecules. The secondary structure of metMb was altered in some extent in the presence of an excess amount of the J-aggregates while no effect on denaturation of metMb was observed with the H2TPPS(4-) monomer or polyacrylate. The hydrophobic nature of the J-aggregate seems to play an important role for denaturation of metMb. The ability of denatured metMb to bind the azide anion was higher than that of natural metMb. The denaturation of metMb by the J-aggregates seems to induce surfacing of hemin leading to an entropy gain in coordination of the N3(-) anion to the iron(III) center.     

Mesoscopic organization of two-dimensional J-aggregates of thiacyanine in Langmuir-Schaefer films

When dioctadecyl dimethylammonium bromide (DODAB) is compressed on a subphase containing 3,3'-disulfopropyl-5,5'-dichlorothiacyanine (THIAMS), adsorption of the dye to the DODAB monolayer results in the formation of J-aggregates which spontaneously organize into polygonal domains of micron size. The features of the domains depend on the surface pressure. The fluorescence of the individual domains is polarized. The shapes of the domains determined by fluorescence microscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM) are identical. The domains differ however significantly from those observed after injection of a 3,3'-disulfopropyl-5,5'-dichloro-9-ethylthiacarbocyanine (THIATS) or THIAMS solution below a precompressed DODAB film, as well as from the domains observed upon compression of a DODAB monolayer on a subphase containing 10(-6) M THIATS.     

Photoisomerization of azobenzene derivatives in nanostructured silica

A series of derivatized azobenzene molecules are synthesized such that one of the phenyl groups can be chemically bonded to mesostructured silica and the other, derivatized with dendrons, is free to undergo large-amplitude light-driven motion. The silica frameworks on which the motion takes place are either 150 nm thick films containing ordered hexagonal arrays of tubes (inner diameter about 2 nm) containing the bonded azobenzenes, or particles (about 500 nm in diameter) containing the same ordered arrays of functionalized tubes. The photoisomerization yields and the rate constants for the thermal cis to trans back-reaction of the azobenzenes in the tubes are measured and compared to those of the molecules in solution. The rate constants decrease with increasing size of the dendrons. Fluorescence spectra of the cis and trans isomers in the pores show that the photoisomerization in the nanostructured materials is selectively driven by specific wavelengths of light and is reversible.     

Controlled formation of the two-dimensional TTBC J-aggregates in an aqueous solution

Strong experimental and theoretical evidence was provided on the controlled formation of the two-dimensional J-aggregates that were assembled in the herringbone morphology. The exciton-band structure formation of 1,1',3,3'-tetraethyl-5,5',6,6'-tetrachlorobenzimidazolocarbocyanine (TTBC) J-aggregates was investigated in ionic (NaOH) aqueous solution at room temperature. The control was achieved by changing the [TTBC] at a given [NaOH], or vice versa, and was monitored through the changes in the absorption, fluorescence excitation, and emission spectra. Specific attention was paid to expose the excited-state structure and dynamics through simulations of the excitonic properties, which included diagonal energetic disorder and phonon-assisted exciton relaxation. Aggregates were characterized by an asymmetrically split Davydov pair, an H-band (approximately 500 nm, 1300 cm(-1) wide, Lorentzian-like) and a J-band (approximately 590 nm, 235 cm(-1) wide, with a band shape typical of a one-dimensional J-aggregate), whose relative intensities showed a strong dependence on the [TTBC]/[NaOH]. The H-band is favored by high [TTBC] or high [NaOH]. An explanation of the control on the aggregate formation was given by correlating the changes in the absorption with the structural modifications and the subsequent changes in the dynamics, which were induced by variations in the dye and NaOH concentrations. The J-band shape/width was attributed to disorder and disorder-induced intraband phonon-assisted exciton relaxation. The intraband processes in both bands were estimated to occur in the same time scale (about a picosecond). It has been suggested that the wide energetic gap between the Davydov split bands (3000 cm(-1)) could get bridged by the excitonic states of the loosely coupled chains, in addition to the monomeric species at low [TTBC]. Phonon-assisted interband relaxation, through the band gap states and/or directly from the H- to the J-band, are suggested for accounting the difference between the bandwidths and shapes of the two bands. Energy transfer between the H-band and the monomeric species is suggested as crucial for tuning the relative strengths of the two bands.     

The solubilities of azobenzene derivatives in water

Summary The solubilities of azobenzene derivatives in water have been determined at 5 °C intervals from 0° to 40 °C to obtain the information both about the effect of polar groups on the solubility of aromatic compounds in water and about the action of polar groups to the iceberg-formation in the vicinity of hydrophobic part of the solute in water environment. From the results the imaginary super cooled pure liquid has been taken as a standard state and the thermodynamic parameters of solution of azobenzene derivatives in water have been calculated.     

High efficiency photocurrent generation by two-dimensional mixed J-aggregates of cyanine dyes

Two-dimensional mixed J-aggregates of structurally and spectrally analogous anionic cyanine dyes, coadsorbed on a self-assembled monolayer of aminoalkanethiolate on Au(111), generated a high-efficiency (20-30% quantum efficiency) cathodic photocurrent and a significant photovoltaic effect in reversible Fe2+/Fe3+ redox solution.     

Theoretical study of the isomerization mechanism of azobenzene and disubstituted azobenzene derivatives

A series of azobenzenes was studied using ab initio methods to determine the substituent effects on the isomerization pathways. Energy barriers were determined from three-dimensional potential energy surfaces of the ground and electronically excited states. In the ground state (S(0)), the inversion pathway was found to be preferred. Our results show that electron donating substituents increase the isomerization barrier along the inversion pathway, whereas electron withdrawing substituents decrease it. The inversion pathway of the first excited state (S(1)) showed trans --> cis barriers with no curve crossing between S(0) and S(1). In contrast, a conical intersection was found between the ground and first excited states along the rotation pathway for each of the azobenzenes studied. No barriers were found in this pathway, and we therefore postulate that after n --> pi (S(1) <-- S(0)) excitation, the rotation mechanism dominates. Upon pi --> pi (S(2) <-- S(0)) excitation, there may be sufficient energy to open an additional pathway (concerted-inversion) as proposed by Diau. Our potential energy surface explains the experimentally observed difference in trans-to-cis quantum yields between S(1) and S(2) excitations. The concerted inversion channel is not available to the remaining azobenzenes, and so they must employ the rotation pathway for both n --> pi and pi --> pi excitations.     

Photoisomerization of azobenzene derivatives confined in gold nanoparticle aggregates

Photoisomerization is an important reaction that confers photoresponsive functionality on nanoparticles. Although photoisomerization of molecules forming self-assembled monolayers on two-dimensional surfaces or three-dimensional clusters has been studied, a detailed picture of interactions of molecules undergoing isomerization with nanoparticles is not available. In this paper, we report on the photoisomerization of azobenzene derivatives spatially confined in gold nanoparticle (AuNP) aggregates. AuNP aggregates allow us to simultaneously probe the structural changes of molecules via surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) and the accompanying changes in interparticle interactions via surface plasmon couplings. AuNP aggregates are formed by the adsorption of synthesized azobenzene-derivatized sulfides (Az) onto the surfaces of AuNPs. The photoisomerization of the adsorbed Az from trans to cis by excitation at 365 nm causes the AuNPs to move close to each other in the aggregates, leading to a redshift of the surface plasmon coupling band in the UV-vis spectra and a concomitant rise in SERS intensity. SERS spectra reveal that the vibrational modes containing the N=N stretching character redshift upon irradiation, suggesting that the N=N bond is significantly weakened when Az is in the cis form in the AuNP aggregates. The weakening of the N=N bond is attributed to the interaction of the N=N bond, which is more exposed to the outside in the cis conformation, with the nearby AuNPs that have come closer by the isomerization of adsorbed Az. We find that backisomerization from cis to trans occurs much faster in the AuNP aggregates (k = 1.9 × 10(-2) min(-1)) than in solution (k = 1.3 × 10(-3) min(-1)) because of the reduced N=N bond order of cis-Az in the aggregates.     

Localization and coherent dynamics of excitons in the two-dimensional optical spectrum of molecular J-aggregates

Two-dimensional optical spectra of J-aggregates at low temperature provide a large amount of information about the nature and dynamics of exciton states that is hidden in conventional broad band pump-probe spectra. By using numerical simulations, we study the two-dimensional absorption spectrum and find that it is dominated by a V-shaped negative peak and a blueshifted elliptic positive peak. We demonstrate a simple method to derive the energy dependence of the exciton localization size from the distance between these two features in the zero waiting time experiment. When the waiting time is turned on, the V peak is filled with an extra positive peak resulting from population relaxation. From the time evolution of this peak, energy dependent relaxation rates can be obtained. The oscillations of coherent contributions to the two-dimensional spectrum are not damped by inhomogeneous mechanisms and can be seen clearly.     

偶氮苯衍生物自组装单分子膜中的分子取响

利用反射红外光谱研究了金表面一系列具有不同碳链长度的偶氮苯巯基衍生物的自组装单分子膜.通过对比各向同性样品的透射谱和单分子膜的反射谱中各个吸收峰强度,定量地研究了分子中各部分的取向与分子结构的关系.我们分别提出了烷基链和偶氮基团取向计算的方法,利用该方法成功地求得了分子中各部分在膜的倾角.结果显示,当分子中烷基链长度增大时,碳链和偶氮苯基团相对于法线的倾斜逐渐加剧.这种倾角的变化归因于分子中碳链间范德华引力增大时,引起分子逐渐倾斜以达到最佳的范德华接触.同时研究发现,烷基链和偶氮基团受碳长度变化的影响并不相同.当分子中亚甲基数目增多时,烷基链的倾角迅速增大而偶氮苯倾角的增大则相对缓慢,这反映了它们在空间需求和本身刚性上的不同。     

Synthesis of β-cyclodextrin derivatives functionalized with azobenzene

Two approaches for the synthesis of β-cyclodextrin and bis(β-cyclodextrin) bearing azobenzene on the primary face are reported. First, the nucleophilic substitution of mono-6-tosyl-β-cyclodextrin by azobenzene anion derivatives was reinvestigated and found to produce mono-3,6-anhydro-β-cyclodextrin as a side product. A slight modification of the reported reaction conditions including the use of Cs₂CO₃ led to a substantial improvement of the yields. In addition, a convenient method based on the application of click chemistry led to 1,2,3-triazole-linked azobenzene-cyclodextrin derivatives in good yields.     

Classification of the hydrogen-bonding species in a series of novel hydrazide based azobenzene derivatives investigated by two-dimensional correlation infrared spectroscopy and molecular modeling

Classification of hydrogen-bonding species in a series of novel hydrazide modified p-methoxyazobenzene derivatives, 4-{n-[4-(4-methoxy-phenylazo)-phenoxy]-alkoxy}-benzoic acid hydrazide (Dn, n = 3, 6, 10) are performed in the present study. Temperature-dependent infrared (IR) spectra of Dn have been measured to investigate the thermal stability of the weak intermolecular interactions, such as hydrogen bonding among hydrazide moieties, pi-pi stacking among aromatic groups, and hydrophobic interaction between alkyl chains. In order to reveal the hydrogen bonding formed between NH, NH2, and CONH groups efficiently, two-dimensional (2D) correlation spectra have been constructed in the thermal sensitive spectral regions of (a) 3500-3100 cm(-1) and (b) 1700-1450 cm(-1), separately, and it have also been constructed between these two spectral regions. Based on the experimental data, the ab initio computational models have been developed to the proposed patterns of hydrogen bonding related to intermolecular interactions in Dn. The intermolecular hydrogen bondings and molecular alignments patterns result from both the experimental data and the computational models are performed for D3, D6, and D10, respectively, in the present study.     

Isomerization of cationic azobenzene derivatives in dispersions and films of layered silicates

Photoisomerization reactions of cationic azobenzene dyes in solutions, dispersions, and films of layered silicates were studied by visible (Vis) spectroscopy. The dyes isomerized reversibly from thermodynamically more stable trans-isomers to cis-isomers when irradiated with ultraviolet (UV) light. Observed trends were compared with the optical changes of the dyes that occurred as a consequence of their adsorption at the silicate surface. Small fractions of the dyes are likely to have isomerized during the adsorption process, even without the UV-light irradiation. The aggregation of the dyes was another reaction taking place at the surface of the silicates. The extent of the UV-light-induced isomerization reactions was reduced for the adsorbed dye cations. The reaction proceeded readily for a dye with monovalent cations. However, the photoisomerization was practically negligible in both dispersions and films of layered silicates for a dye with bivalent cations, whereas the isomerization proceeded in solution. This phenomenon was interpreted in terms of the attractive electrostatic forces between the substrate and the dye cations, which hindered the isomerization reaction. The layer charge of silicates affected the orientation of the dye cations as observed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements. However, the choice of silicate did not significantly affect the fundamental aspects and the described basic trends of the UV-light-induced isomerization reaction.     

Conformation of p-dimethylaminobenzylidene-p-nitroaniline,p-nitrobenzylidene-p-dimethylaminoaniline,their stilbene and azobenzene derivatives

PCILO computations have been carried out on the conformation of p-dimethylaminobenzylidene-p-nitroaniline [I(m)], p-nitrobenzylidene-p-dimethylaminoaniline [I(n)] and the corresponding stilbene [II(a)] and azobenzene [II(b)] derivatives. The aniline rings in Im and In are found to be twisted out of the plane containing the central atoms by 60° and 30°, respectively. The two phenyl rings in case of II(a) are twisted out of plane in opposite directions by 30° each. II(b) was found to be planar. The results have been compared with the earlier experimental findings and used as a possible explanation for the visible absorption spectra of the four molecules.     

Self-oriented pseudoisocyanine J-aggregates in solution

Highly oriented fiber-shaped J-aggregates of pseudoisocyanine (PIC) molecules were prepared by simply growing the aggregates in a narrow glass cell, which allows evaporation of the solution in one direction.     

High-performance liquid chromatography of azobenzene derivatives with spectrophotometric and electrochemical detection

The chromatographic behaviour of azobenzene and fourteen of its derivatives was studied by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with a C18 stationary phase. The optimal composition of the mobile phase is 9:1 methanol-0.01 M aqueous sodium dihydrogen phosphate which is 0.0002 M in ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, with a pH of 4.5. The solutes can be detected spectrophotometrically, voltammetrically or polarographically. Spectrophotometric measurement in the visible range is more sensitive than in the UV range (detection limits of 0.04-0.1 ng at 410 nm compared with 0.3-0.5 ng at 265 nm). Voltammetric detection is highly sensitive for hydroxy and amino derivatives [detection limits 0.02-0.09 ng at +0.8 V (Ag-AgCl)], whereas for other substances the detection limits are a few nanograms. Polarographic detection is the least sensitive [detection limits 4-8 ng at -0.6 V (Ag-AgCl)]. All the calibration graphs exhibit good linearity, but spectrophotometric detection yields a wider linear dynamic range. Voltammetric detection is more precise at low solute concentrations (relative standard deviations of the peak heights 0.5-1.0% and 1.0-1.5% for voltammetric and spectrophotometric detection, respectively, with amounts of solute from 1 to 10 ng).     

Excitons in J-aggregates with hierarchical structure

Unusually sensitive wavelength dependence of hole-burning efficiency in oriented J-aggregates is explained by the hierarchical structure of one-dimensional J-aggregates proposed by us from the experimental results of the concentration dependence of the dichroic spectra.     

Investigation of structure–spectroscopy–function relationship of two-dimensional J-aggregates of tetrachlorobenzimidazolocarbocyanine preferentially oriented in poly-vinyl-alcohol thin films

The structure–spectroscopy–function relationship of 1,1′,3,3′-tetraethyl-5,5′,6,6′-tetrachlorobenzimidazolocarbocyanine (TTBC) aggregates is studied using a combination of experimental and theoretical techniques. The aggregates are macroscopically aligned in poly-vinyl-alcohol thin films by vertical spin coating. Angular dependence of the UV–Vis spectra is measured at eleven different orientations between the electric field polarization and the macroscopic alignment axis. The aggregates are characterized by a pair of Davydov split bands with opposite polarization behaviors: an H-band (505 nm) and a J-band (594 nm) polarized respectively, close to being parallel and perpendicular to the alignment axis. Spectral response is interpreted via simulations within the Frenkel exciton formalism. TTBC aggregates are shown to assume very similar internal molecular packing (herringbone) and dynamics of excited states (phonon-assisted intraband and interband relaxations) in ionic aqueous solution and in thin films. The general conclusions on the structure–spectroscopy–function relationship are expected to hold for other cyanine aggregates with the same generic spectral features.     

含B-N相互作用偶氮苯强荧光材料光电性质的理论研究

本文基于增大光谱发光强度的结构修饰方法,采用理论计算方法研究了结构修饰后分子的电子性质、光谱性质以及电荷传输性质的变化.计算结果表明,-N(CH3)2取代、-N(CH3)2和-Br组合取代有助于吸收/发射光谱发光强度的提高.与母体分子相比,-N(CH3)2和-Br取代位置不同或取代数量不同可以引起最高占据分子轨道能量(EHOMO)、最低空分子轨道能量(ELUMO)和能隙(Eg=ELUMO-EHOMO)发生明显变化,从而有效调节了最大吸收波长(λabs)和最大发射波长(λem),从理论角度设计了一系列蓝光和绿光材料.重组能计算显示,除了GM-1和GM-6,其余分子可以作为有机电致发光材料(OLEDs)中的空穴传输材料,GM-1和GM-7可以作为双极性电荷传输材料.