The photodissociative ionization of amorphous ice

Within the energy range 17 hv < 35 eV, the ionic species desorbed and their excitation spectra are reported. The only positive ion desorbed is H⁺. A model for the surface is suggested which explains the absence of OH⁺ desorption. The desorption mechanisms are discussed in terms of an energy analysis.     

Biphotonic excitation of the fluorescence of benzophenone ketyl

Laser irradiation of benzophenone in isopropanol solution results in orange fluorescence, the yield of which depends on the laser pulse duration. This is shown to be due to benzophenone ketyl (hydroxydiphenyl methyl), formed as a photo-product. It is shown that simple time-resolved fluorescence measurements can yield basic information concerning the early photochemical history of such radical species.     

Biphotonic ionization of 8-anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonate in polar solvents

The photoionization of 8-anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonate in polar solvents occurs through a biphotonic process, as proved by nanosecond flash photolysis. A transient absorption of a charge transfer to solvent (CTTS) state is found with ≈10 ns life-time. The state is shown to be an intermediate of the photoionization process.     

Biphotonic photodissociation of phenylalanine in aqueous solution at 20°C

The photophysical processes leading to the photochemical changes in the aromatic amino acid phenylalanine were examined as a function of pH in aqueous solutions at 20°C, using the technique of flash photolysis. The photodissociation reaction to form the benzyl (φCH₂) radical was found to occur via a biphotonic process at pH 5.9 and pH 0.45, and via a monophotonic process at pH 11.0. Using characteristics quenches, the precursor of the photodissociation of phenylalanine at all pH values was shown to be a long-lived (triplet) excited state.     

Simultaneous determination of all-trans, 9-cis, 13-cis retinoic acid and retinol in rat prostate using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry

Since retinoic acid (RA) and RA receptors are key developmental regulators during organogenesis, they might participate in the abnormal development of the prostate caused by early estrogen exposure. In order to test this assumption, a sensitive analytical method that can differentiate 9-cis, 13-cis, and all-trans RA in small tissue samples ( approximately 8 mg) is required. Since retinol is the metabolic precursor to RA, simultaneous quantification of retinol would also provide valuable information. Here, we report a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method for simultaneous determination of retinol and 9-cis, 13-cis, and all-trans RA in rat prostate. Mass spectrometric signal responses for RA were compared using positive ion atmospheric-pressure chemical ionization (APCI) and electrospray, as well as positive ion and negative ion APCI. Positive ion APCI was selected for all subsequent analysis for its better sensitivity, and to provide simultaneous determination of retinol and RA. Ventral prostate tissue samples were homogenized and extracted following simple protein precipitation without derivatization. Baseline separation of 9-cis, 13-cis, and all-trans RA standards was obtained by using a non-porous silica C18 column. Selected ion monitoring of the ions m/z 301 and m/z 269 was carried out for mass spectrometric quantitative analysis. The ion of m/z 301 corresponded to the protonated molecule of RA, whereas the ion of m/z 269 corresponded to loss of water or acetic acid from the protonated molecule of retinol or the internal standard retinyl acetate respectively. The method has a linear response over a concentration range of at least three orders of magnitude. The limit of quantitation was determined to be 702 fmol all-trans RA injected on-column. The method showed excellent intra- and inter-assay reproducibility and good recovery, and is suitable for analyzing RA and retinol in small tissue samples (approximately 8 mg).     

Biphotonic Ionization of DNA: From Model Studies to Cell

Oxidation reactions triggered by low‐intensity UV photons represent a minor contribution with respect to the overwhelming pyrimidine base dimerization in both isolated and cellular DNA. The situation is totally different when DNA is exposed to high‐intensity UVC radiation under conditions where biphotonic ionization of the four main purine and pyrimidine bases becomes predominant at the expense of singlet excitation processes. The present review article provides a critical survey of the main chemical reactions of the base radical cations thus generated by one‐electron oxidation of nucleic acids in model systems and cells. These include oxidation of the bases with the predominant formation of 8‐oxo‐7,8‐dihydroguanine as the result of preferential hole transfer to guanine bases that act as sinks in isolated and cellular DNA. In addition to hydration, other nucleophilic addition reactions involving the guanine radical cation give rise to intra‐ and interstrand cross‐links together with DNA–protein cross‐links. Information is provided on the utilization of high‐intensity UV laser pulses as molecular biology tools for studying DNA conformational features, nucleic acid–protein interactions and nucleic acid reactivity through DNA–protein cross‐links and DNA footprinting experiments.     

Biphotonic laser excitation of upper singlet state fluorescence in organic dyes

Fluorescence spectra are presented, originating from upper excited singlet states in three xanthene dyes. The experimental method, using biphotonic pulsed laser excitation, is shown to have advantages over single-photon ultraviolet irradiation. It is further shown that the observed spectra depend on the nature and timing of the excitation frequencies.     

Primary photoprocesses in retinol

Pulsed laser photolysis techniques, with nanosecond time-resolution, are applied to solutions of retinol (vitamin A) and retinyl acetate, under varying conditions of solvent polarity and oxygen content. The observed absorbance and conductivity changes are identified as due to: (a) the excited fluorescent state, λ_max = 435 nm; (b) the lowest excited triplet state, λ_max = 405 nm; (c) the retinylic cation (λ_max = 590 nm), formed via: ROH→^hv R⁺ + OH^?. The results constitute the first experimental evidence for ionic photodissociation and for spontaneous, as well as oxygen-induced, intersystem crossing in retinol. Both processes may provide routes for isomerization, being thus relevant to the visual process.     

Biphotonic recording effect of polarization gratings based on dye-doped liquid crystal films

This study investigates a holographic recording effect of biphotonic polarization gratings (BPGs) written on dye-doped liquid crystal (DDLC) films. One linearly polarized green light (λ_G = 514.5 nm) and a polarization-modulated interference pattern formed by two mutually coherent orthogonal (±45° with respect to the polarization of the green light) polarized red lights simultaneously excite the DDLC films to generate a BPG. The formation of BPGs depends primarily on the dichroism of the dye molecules and a sequence of mechanisms: photoisomerization, anisotropic adsorption and inhibition of dye adsorption. The cis-isomer absorbance-modulated distribution associated with the red polarization-modulation pattern induces the dye adsorption-modulated pattern, in turn, yielding the permanent BPG which generates a modulated twisted nematic (TN) structure pattern in the sample. It is found that each BPG is verified to be electrically switchable and thermally erasable. The switching time is in the order of milliseconds. Additionally, the recording time to form a BPG decreases with increasing intensity of the green pump beam.     

On the origin of the dynamical threshold for collision-induced dissociation processes

Collision-induced dissociation from the ground vibration-rotation state of the reactant diatom is studied in the systems He + H₂, H + H₂, and He + H⁺₂ by quasiclassical trajectory calculations, using ab initio potential energy surfaces. The dependence of the dynamical threshold values on the shape of the potential energy surface is discussed.     

Kinetic studies of retinol addition radicals

Retinol neutral radicals (RS-retinol˙), generated from the reaction of retinol with 4-pyridylthiyl and 2-pyridylthiyl radicals in argon-saturated methanol, undergo β-elimination, which can be monitored via the slow secondary absorption rise at 380 nm attributed to the rearrangement of the unstable retinol neutral addition radicals to the more stable addition radicals. Rate constants for the β-elimination reactions (k(β)) of 4-PyrS-retinol˙ were measured at different temperatures and the Arrhenius equation for the reaction is described by log (k(β)/s(-1)) = (12.7 ± 0.2) - (54.3 ± 1.3)/θ, where θ = 2.3RT kJ mol(-1). The reactivities of retinol addition radicals (RS-retinol˙), generated from the reaction of retinol with various thiyl radicals, towards oxygen have also been investigated in methanol. In the presence of oxygen, the decay of RS-retinol˙ fits to biexponential kinetics and both observed rate constants for the RS-retinol˙ decay are oxygen-concentration dependent. This suggests that at least two thiyl addition radicals, formed from the reaction of RS˙ with retinol, undergo oxygen addition reactions. In light of the estimated rate constants for oxygen addition to RS-retinol˙ and RS-CAR˙ (CAR: carotenoid), the antioxidant-prooxidant properties of retinol are discussed.     

Single-molecule magnets: Jahn-Teller isomerism and the origin of two magnetization relaxation processes in Mn12 complexes

Several single-molecule magnets with the composition [Mn12O12(O2CR)16(H2O)x] (x = 3 or 4) exhibit two out-of-phase ac magnetic susceptibility signals, one in the 4-7 K region and the other in the 2-3 K region. New Mn12 complexes were prepared and structurally characterized, and the origin of the two magnetization relaxation processes was systematically examined. Different crystallographic forms of a Mn12 complex with a given R substituent exist where the two forms have different compositions of solvent molecules of crystallization and this results in two different arrangements of bound H2O and carboxylate ligands for the two crystallographically different forms with the same R substituent. The X-ray structure of cubic crystals of [Mn12O12(O2CEt)16(H2O)3]. 4H2O (space group P1) (complex 2a) has been reported previously. The more prevalent needle-form of [Mn12O12(O2CEt)16(H2O)3] (complex 2b) crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2(1)/c, which at -170 degrees C has a = 16.462(7) A, b = 22.401(9) A, c = 20.766(9) A, beta = 103.85(2) degrees, and Z = 4. The arrangements of H2O and carboxylate ligands on the Mn12 molecule are different in the two crystal forms. The complex [Mn12O12-(O2)CC6H4-p-Cl)16(H2O)4].8CH2Cl2 (5) crystallizes in the monoclinic space group C2/c, which at -172 degrees C has a = 29.697(9) A, b = 17.708(4) A, c = 30.204(8) A, beta = 102.12(2) degrees, and Z = 4. The ac susceptibility data for complex 5 show that it has out-of-phase signals in both the 2-3 K and the 4-7 K ranges. X-ray structures are also reported for two isomeric forms of the p-methylbenzoate complex. [Mn12O12(O2CC6H4-p-Me)16(H2O)4]. (HO2CC6H4-p-Me) (6) crystallizes in the monoclinic space group C2/c, which at 193 K has a = 40.4589(5) A, b = 18.2288(2) A, c = 26.5882(4) A, beta = 125.8359(2) degrees, and Z = 4. [Mn12O12(O2CC6H4-p-Me)16(H2O)4].3(H2O) (7) crystallizes in the monoclinic space group I2/a, which at 223 K has a = 29.2794(4) A, b = 32.2371(4) A, c = 29.8738(6) A, beta = 99.2650(10) degrees, and Z = 8. The Mn12 molecules in complexes 6 and 7 differ in their arrangements of the four bound H2O ligands. Complex 6 exhibits an out-of-phase ac peak (chi(M)' ') in the 2-3 K region, whereas the hydrate complex 7 has a chi(M)' ' signal in the 4-7 K region. In addition, however, in complex 6, one Mn(III) ion has an abnormal Jahn-Teller distortion axis oriented at an oxide ion, and thus 6 and 7 are Jahn-Teller isomers. This reduces the symmetry of the core of complex 6 compared with complex 7. Thus, complex 6 likely has a larger tunneling matrix element and this explains why this complex shows a chi(M)' ' signal in the 2-3 K region, whereas complex 7 has its chi(M)' ' peak in the 4-7 K region, i.e., the rate of tunneling of magnetization is greater in complex 6 than complex 7. Detailed 1H NMR experiments (2-D COSY and TOCSY) lead to the assignment of all proton resonances for the benzoate and p-methyl-benzoate Mn12 complexes and confirm the structural integrity of the (Mn12O12) complexes upon dissolution. In solution there is rapid ligand exchange and no evidence for the different isomeric forms of Mn12 complexes seen in the solid state.     

Spectrophotometric assay of retinol via charge-transfer complexes

Simple and sensitive spectrophotometric methods for the assay of retinol have been presented. The first method was based on the reaction of retinol with iodine to give a molecular charge-transfer complex, the retinol acting as n-donor and iodine as -electron acceptor. The second method depends on the formation of a highly coloured stable radical anion between retinol and 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ as a -electron acceptor. The molecular ratios of the reactants in the complexes have been established and the experimental conditions leading to maximum charge-transfer bands were also studied. Beer's law is obeyed over the retinol concentration range 2.5–26 µg/ml. The proposed procedures have been applied successfully to the analysis of drug formulation. The average recovery and average standard deviation was 99.99 ±1.13% with retinol-iodine and 100.001 ± 1.31% with retinol-TCNQ. A kinetic study was performed by heating retinol at 50°C for different periods of time, the result obtained by plotting log c against time indicates that thermal decomposition of retinol is of first order. The results obtained by both methods were in good agreement with those obtained by the official method. The developed procedures were found to be simple, accurate and precise and can be used for the determination of retinol in presence of its degradation products.     

From Graftable Biphotonic Chromophores to Water‐Soluble Organic Nanodots for Biophotonics: The Importance of Environmental Effects

The photophysical and two‐photon absorption (TPA) properties of biphotonic chromophores with one or two phenol pendant units were studied and compared with that of a model biphotonic quadrupolar chromophore. A water‐soluble dendritic structure was then synthesized by using the pendant moieties as starting points for the construction of dendritic branches. We show that the polarity of the environment significantly modulates both the fluorescence and the TPA responses of the different chromophoric derivatives. This extends to more subtle effects that involve phenol pendant moieties that were found to act as discrete solvating units and to modify both the photophysics and the TPA response of the chromophore. This demonstrates the high sensitivity of the TPA response of quadrupolar derivatives to minute alterations in the environment. Moreover, the dendritic branches were found to behave as a peculiar cybotactic environment that was able to tune the fluorescence and TPA response of the inner chromophore by creating a polar environment. This reveals a new direction for exploiting such effects by playing on the dendritic architecture (e.g., the nature and shape of the building blocks, the geometry and position of the chromophore) to modulate the TPA responses.     

Polarized fluorescence spectra of retinol ad diphenyl octatetraene

The polarization of fluorescence excitation and emission bands of all-trans retinol in 77°K has been measured at relatively high resolution. The main excitation band as well as the fluorescence band showed a degree of polarization approaching that the theoretical maximum of 0.5 for a linear oscillator under photoselective conditions. These results are consistent with the assignment that the main absorption and fluorescence bands originate from the long-axis polarized ⁱB ← ^IA transition, as expected from free electron theory. Diphenyl octatetraene was also studied, yielding results similar to the retinol system.     

Synthesis and anti-tumor activity of all-trans retinoic acid derivatives

A series of retinoate and retinamide derivatives were designed,synthesized,and their anti-tumor activities were investigated in NB4 by MTT and flow cytometry assays(FCM).All compounds showed cytotoxicity,especially compounds 1a and 1d exhibited a higher cytotoxicity than other derivatives and all-trans retinoic acid(ATRA).Furthermore,compound 1d could induce NB4 cell lines differentiation efficiently.