Förster Resonance Energy Transfer Investigations Using Quantum‐Dot Fluorophores

F?rster resonance energy transfer (FRET), which involves the nonradiative transfer of excitation energy from an excited donor fluorophore to a proximal ground-state acceptor fluorophore, is a well-characterized photophysical tool. It is very sensitive to nanometer-scale changes in donor-acceptor separation distance and their relative dipole orientations. It has found a wide range of applications in analytical chemistry, protein conformation studies, and biological assays. Luminescent semiconductor nanocrystals (quantum dots, QDs) are inorganic fluorophores with unique optical and spectroscopic properties that could enhance FRET as an analytical tool, due to broad excitation spectra and tunable narrow and symmetric photoemission. Recently, there have been several FRET investigations using luminescent QDs that focused on addressing basic fundamental questions, as well as developing targeted applications with potential use in biology, including sensor design and protein conformation studies. Herein, we provide a critical review of those developments. We discuss some of the basic aspects of FRET applied to QDs as both donors and acceptors, and highlight some of the advantages offered (and limitations encountered) by QDs as energy donors and acceptors compared to conventional dyes. We also review the recent developments made in using QD bioreceptor conjugates to design FRET-based assays.     

Two‐Photon Photochromism of a Diarylethene Enhanced by Förster Resonance Energy Transfer from Two‐Photon Absorbing Fluorenes

Resonance energy transfer from two-photon absorbing fluorene derivatives to the photochromic compound 3,4-bis-(2,4,5-trimethyl-thiophen-3-yl)furan-2,5-dione (PC 1) is investigated in hexane under one- and two-photon excitation. The quenching of the steady-state fluorescence of donor molecules in the presence of the diarylethene acceptor is used to study the nature of resonance energy transfer. The F?rster distances and critical acceptor concentrations are determined for nonbound donor-acceptor pairs in homogeneous molecular ensembles. Quite significantly, up to a two-fold enhancement in the velocity of the photochromic transformation of 1, in the presence of two-photon absorbing fluorene derivatives, is demonstrated.     

Enhancement of Förster Energy Transfer within a Microspherical Cavity

Energy transfer from pyrene to perylene molecules co-doped within a poly(methyl methacrylate) latex microsphere was drastically accelerated relative to free space. Fluorescence spectra of the microspheres showed that the relative emission intensities of pyrene and perylene changed with the sphere diameter. Analyses of emission decay profiles clarified that F?rster-type energy-transfer processes were induced and that the transfer rates increased within the microspherical cavity. This enhancement can be ascribed not only to the quantum electrodynamic effects on the pyrene emission rate, but also the cavity effect of increasing the overlapping factor between donor emission and acceptor absorption spectra.     

Metal Linkage Effects on Ultrafast Energy Transfer

We report the preparation of several new porphyrin homodimers bridged by a platinum(II) ion in which very intense electronic communication through the coordination link occurs. Moreover, the synthesis of a new porphyrin dyad and its photophysical properties are reported. This dyad exhibits the fastest singlet energy transfer ever reported for synthetic systems between a zinc(II) porphyrin and a porphyrin free base. This extremely fast transfer (～100 femtoseconds) is in the same range as the fastest one measured in natural systems. This feature is due to the platinum(II) linker, which allows for strong MO couplings between the two porphyrin units as experimentally supported by electrochemistry and corroborated by DFT computations.     

Light‐Harvesting Hybrid Assemblies

Light‐harvesting hybrids have gained much importance as they are considered as potential mimics for photosynthetic systems. In this Concept article we introduce the design concepts involved in the building up of light‐harvesting hybrids; these resemble the well‐studied organic‐based assemblies for energy transfer. We have structured this article into three parts based on the strategies adopted in the synthesis of hybrid assemblies, as covalent, semicovalent, and noncovalent procedures. Furthermore, the properties and structural features of the hybrids and analogous organic assemblies are compared. We also emphasize the challenges involved in the processability of these hybrid materials for device applications and present our views and results to address this issue through the design of soft‐hybrids by a solution‐state, noncovalent, self‐assembly process.     

Cooperative Veratryle and Nitroindoline Cages for Two‐Photon Uncaging in the NIR

Tandem uncaging systems in which a two‐photon absorbing module and a cage moiety, linked via a phosphorous clip, that act together by Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) have been developed. A library of these compounds, using different linkers and cages (7‐nitroindolinyl or nitroveratryl) has been synthesized. The investigation of their uncaging and two‐photon absorption properties demonstrates the scope and versatility of the engineering strategy towards efficient two‐photon cages and reveals surprising cooperative and topological effects. The interactions between the 2PA module and the caging moiety are found to promote cooperative effects on the 2PA response while additional processes that enhance the uncaging efficiency are operative in well‐oriented nitroindoline‐derived dyads. These synergic effects combine to lead to record two‐photon uncaging cross‐section values (i.e., up to 20 GM) for uncaging of carboxylic acids.     

A Mechanically Interlocked [3]Rotaxane as a Light‐Harvesting Antenna: Synthesis,Characterization, and Intramolecular Energy Transfer

Mimicking photosynthesis : The concept of light‐harvesting by using a mechanically interlocked [3]rotaxane is developed through synthesis and characterization. Our results provide a new candidate for light‐harvesting systems and also open up the possibility of creating intelligent or controllable energy‐collecting machines (see figure).

     

Synthesis and Spectroscopic Characterization of Fluorophore‐Labeled Oligospiroketal Rods

Fluorescence probes consisting of well‐established fluorophores in combination with rigid molecular rods based on spirane‐type structures were investigated with respect to their fluorescence properties under different solvent conditions. The attachment of the dyes was accomplished by 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition between alkynes and azides (‘click’ reaction) and is a prime example for a novel class of sensor constructs. Especially, the attachment of two (different) fluorophores on opposite sides of the molecular rods paves the way to new sensor systems with less bulky (compared to the conventional DNA‐ or protein‐based concepts), nevertheless rigid spacer constructs, e.g., for FRET‐based sensing applications. A detailed photophysical characterization was performed in MeOH (and in basic H₂O/MeOH mixtures) for i) rod constructs containing carboxyfluorescein, ii) rod constructs containing carboxyrhodamine, iii) rod constructs containing both carboxyfluorescein and carboxyrhodamine, and iv) rod constructs containing both pyrene and perylene parts. For each dye (pair), two rod lengths with different numbers of spirane units were synthesized and investigated. The rod constructs were characterized in ensemble as well as single‐molecule fluorescence experiments with respect to i) specific rod? dye and ii) dye? dye interactions. In addition to MeOH and MeOH/NaOH, the rod constructs were also investigated in micellar systems, which were chosen as a simplified model for membranes.     

Unexpected Drastic Decrease in the Excited‐State Electronic Communication between Porphyrin Chromophores Covalently Linked by a Palladium(II) Bridge

A dyad built up of a zinc(II) porphyrin and the corresponding free base, [Zn‐Fb] , fused to N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHCs) ligands, respectively acting as singlet energy donor and acceptor, and a bridging trans‐PdI₂ unit, along with the corresponding [Zn‐Zn] and [Fb‐Fb] dimers were prepared and investigated by absorption and emission spectroscopy and density functional computations. Despite favorable structural and spectroscopic parameters, unexpectedly slow singlet energy transfer rates are measured in comparison with the predicted values by the Förster theory and those observed for other structurally related dyads. This observation is rationalized by the lack of large molecular orbital (MO) overlaps between the frontier MOs of the donor and acceptor, thus preventing a double electron exchange through the trans‐PdI₂ bridge, and by an electronic shielding induced by the presence of this same linker preventing the two chromophores to fully interact via their transition dipoles.     

A Brief Overview of Some Physical Studies on the Relaxation Dynamics and Förster Resonance Energy Transfer of Semiconductor Quantum Dots

This article highlights some physical studies on the relaxation dynamics and Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) of semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) and the way these phenomena change with size, shape, and composition of the QDs. The understanding of the excited‐state dynamics of photoexcited QDs is essential for technological applications such as efficient solar energy conversion, light‐emitting diodes, and photovoltaic cells. Here, our emphasis is directed at describing the influence of size, shape, and composition of the QDs on their different relaxation processes, that is, radiative relaxation rate, nonradiative relaxation rate, and number of trap states. A stochastic model of carrier relaxation dynamics in semiconductor QDs was proposed to correlate with the experimental results. Many recent studies reveal that the energy transfer between the QDs and a dye is a FRET process, as established from 1/d⁶ distance dependence. QD‐based energy‐transfer processes have been used in applications such as luminescence tagging, imaging, sensors, and light harvesting. Thus, the understanding of the interaction between the excited state of the QD and the dye molecule and quantitative estimation of the number of dye molecules attached to the surface of the QD by using a kinetic model is important. Here, we highlight the influence of size, shape, and composition of QDs on the kinetics of energy transfer. Interesting findings reveal that QD‐based energy‐transfer processes offer exciting opportunities for future applications. Finally, a tentative outlook on future developments in this research field is given.     

A high-throughput homogeneous immunoassay based on Förster resonance energy transfer between quantum dots and gold nanoparticles

A novel homogeneous immunoassay based on Förster resonance energy transfer for sensitive detection of tumor, e.g., marker with carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), was proposed. The assay was consisted of polyclonal goat anti-CEA antibody labeled luminescent CdTe quantum dots (QDs) as donor and monoclonal goat anti-CEA antibody labeled gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) as acceptor. In presence of CEA, the bio-affinity between antigen and antibody made the QDs and AuNPs close enough, thus the photoluminescence (PL) quenching of CdTe QDs occurred. The PL properties could be transformed into the fluorometric variation, corresponding to the target antigen concentration, and could be easily monitored and analyzed with the home-made image analysis software. The fluorometric results indicated a linear detection range of 1–110 ng mL⁻¹ for CEA, with a detection limit of 0.3 ng mL⁻¹. The proposed assay configuration was attractive for carcinoma screening or single sample in point-of-care testing, and even field use. In spite of the limit of available model analyte, this approach could be easily extended to detection of a wide range of biomarkers.     

A Fluorescent Indicator for Imaging Lysosomal Zinc(II) with Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET)‐Enhanced Photostability and a Narrow Band of Emission

We demonstrate a strategy to transfer the zinc(II) sensitivity of a fluoroionophore with low photostability and a broad emission band to a bright and photostable fluorophore with a narrow emission band. The two fluorophores are covalently connected to afford an intramolecular Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) conjugate. The FRET donor in the conjugate is a zinc(II)‐sensitive arylvinylbipyridyl fluoroionophore, the absorption and emission of which undergo bathochromic shifts upon zinc(II) coordination. When the FRET donor is excited, efficient intramolecular energy transfer occurs to result in the emission of the acceptor boron dipyrromethene (4,4‐difluoro‐4‐bora‐3a,4a‐diaza‐s‐indacene or BODIPY) as a function of zinc(II) concentration. The broad emission band of the donor/zinc(II) complex is transformed into the strong, narrow emission band of the BODIPY acceptor in the FRET conjugates, which can be captured within the narrow emission window that is preferred for multicolor imaging experiments. In addition to competing with other nonradiative decay processes of the FRET donor, the rapid intramolecular FRET of the excited FRET‐conjugate molecule protects the donor fluorophore from photobleaching, thus enhancing the photostability of the indicator. FRET conjugates 3 and 4 contain aliphatic amino groups, which selectively target lysosomes in mammalian cells. This subcellular localization preference was verified by using confocal fluorescence microscopy, which also shows the zinc(II)‐enhanced emission of 3 and 4 in lysosomes. It was further shown using two‐color structured illumination microscopy (SIM), which is capable of extending the lateral resolution over the Abbe diffraction limit by a factor of two, that the morpholino‐functionalized compound 4 localizes in the interior of lysosomes, rather than anchoring on the lysosomal membranes, of live HeLa cells.     

Multichromophoric π‐Conjugation: Modular Design for Gated and Cascade Energy Transfer

Multichromophore arrays allow for cascade energy transfer. As an isoelectronic analogue of indacenyl, bis(triazolo)benzene features a fused tricyclic skeleton that rigidly places two π‐extended triazoles in close proximity. Such triazole‐based fluorophores behave as electronically independent modules in the ground states, but become tightly coupled upon photoexcitation for highly efficient excitation energy transfer (EET) that can be gated by external stimuli. Taking this donor–acceptor fluorophore system a step further, we have designed and implemented a cascade EET. Here, the initial excitation takes part in a circular relay to arrive at the longest‐wavelength emitting site as the final destination. Modularly constructed triazoloarenes should serve as versatile platforms for chemically controlled optical signaling.     

A Ratiometric Fluorescent Probe Based on a Through‐Bond Energy Transfer (TBET) System for Imaging HOCl in Living Cells

A simple ratiometric probe (Naph‐Rh) has been designed and synthesized based on a through‐bond energy transfer (TBET) system for sensing HOCl. In this probe, rhodamine thiohydrazide and naphthalene formyl were connected by simple synthesis methods to construct a structure of monothio‐bishydrazide. Free probe Naph‐Rh showed only the emission of naphthalene. When probe Naph‐Rh reacted with HOCl, monothio‐bishydrazide could be converted into 1,2,4‐oxadiazole, which not only ensured that the donor and the acceptor were connected with electronically conjugated bonds, but also resulted in the spiro‐ring opening and the emission of rhodamine. Therefore, a typical TBET process took place. The probe possessed high‐energy transfer efficiency and large pseudo‐Stokes shifts. As the first TBET probe for HOCl, Naph‐Rh showed excellent selectivity and sensitivity toward HOCl over other reactive oxygen species (ROS)/reactive nitrogen species (RNS), and could respond fast to a low concentration of HOCl in the real sample. In addition, the probe was suitable for imaging HOCl in living cells due to its real‐time response, excellent resolution, and reduced cytotoxicity.