Correcting for Spectral Cross‐Talk in Dual‐Color Fluorescence Cross‐Correlation Spectroscopy

Dual‐color fluorescence cross‐correlation spectroscopy (dcFCCS) allows one to quantitatively assess the interactions of mobile molecules labeled with distinct fluorophores. The technique is widely applied to both reconstituted and live‐cell biological systems. A major drawback of dcFCCS is the risk of an artifactual false‐positive or overestimated cross‐correlation amplitude arising from spectral cross‐talk. Cross‐talk can be reduced or prevented by fast alternating excitation, but the technology is not easily implemented in standard commercial setups. An experimental strategy is devised that does not require specialized hardware and software for recognizing and correcting for cross‐talk in standard dcFCCS. The dependence of the cross‐talk on particle concentrations and brightnesses is quantitatively confirmed. Moreover, it is straightforward to quantitatively correct for cross‐talk using quickly accessible parameters, that is, the measured (apparent) fluorescence count rates and correlation amplitudes. Only the bleed‐through ratio needs to be determined in a calibration measurement. Finally, the limitations of cross‐talk correction and its influence on experimental error are explored.     

Polymorph‐Dependent Solid‐State Fluorescence and Selective Metal‐Ion‐Sensor Properties of 2‐(2‐Hydroxyphenyl)‐4(3H)‐quinazolinone

2‐(2‐Hydroxy‐phenyl)‐4(3H)‐quinazolinone (HPQ), an organic fluorescent material that exhibits fluorescence by the excited‐state intramolecular proton‐transfer (ESIPT) mechanism, forms two different polymorphs in tetrahydrofuran. The conformational twist between the phenyl and quinazolinone rings of HPQ leads to different molecular packing in the solid state, giving structures that show solid‐state fluorescence at 497 and 511 nm. HPQ also shows intense fluorescence in dimethyl formamide (DMF) solution and selectively detects Zn²⁺ and Cd²⁺ ions at micromolar concentrations in DMF. Importantly, HPQ not only detects Zn²⁺ and Cd²⁺ ions selectively, but it also distinguishes between the metal ions with a fluorescence λ_max that is blue‐shifted from 497 to 420 and 426 nm for Zn²⁺ and Cd²⁺ ions, respectively. Hence, tunable solid‐state fluorescence and selective metal‐ion‐sensor properties were demonstrated in a single organic material.     

Real‐Time Nanomicroscopy via Three‐Dimensional Single‐Particle Tracking

We developed a new method for real‐time, three‐dimensional tracking of fluorescent particles. The instrument is based on a laser‐scanning confocal microscope where the focus of the laser beam is scanned or orbited around the particle. Two confocal pinholes are used to simultaneously monitor regions immediately above and below the particle and a feedback loop is used to keep the orbit centered on the particle. For moderate count rates, this system can track particles with 15 nm spatial resolution in the lateral dimensions and 50 nm in the axial dimension at a temporal resolution of 32 ms. To investigate the interaction of the tracked particles with cellular components, we have combined our orbital tracking microscope with a dual‐color, wide‐field setup. Dual‐color fluorescence wide‐field images are recorded simultaneously in the same image plane as the particle being tracked. The functionality of the system was demonstrated by tracking fluorescent‐labeled artificial viruses in tubulin‐eGFP expressing HUH7 cells. The resulting trajectories can be used to investigate the microtubule network with super resolution.     

Polysaccharide‐templated twisted assemble of 2‐anilinonaphthalene‐6‐sulfonic acid

Schizophyllan (SPG) is a natural β‐1,3‐glucan that forms a triple helix (t‐SPG) in neutral aqueous solutions and t‐SPG can be denatured to single chains (s‐SPGs) in DMSO or alkaline solutions. Exchanging the denatured solutions for neutral water leads the renaturation of the triple helix. We have reported that hydrophobic molecules can form a complex with s‐SPG when they are present in the renaturation process. Some of these, for example poly(dA) and polyaniline, were found to have aromatic amino moieties. This report demonstrates whether s‐SPG can interact with other aromatic amino compounds such as anilinonaphthalene sulfonic acid (ANS) derivatives. Enhanced fluorescence intensity and red‐shifted UV absorption spectra were observed in the mixture of s‐SPG and 2,6‐ANS or 2,6‐TNS. In the circular dichroism measurement, the positive Cotton effects appeared after mixing 2, 6‐ANS with s‐SPG. When the amino proton was replaced by the methyl group or used in intramolecular hydrogen bonds, any spectral changes were not observed. These results indicate that amino proton in the ANS derivatives plays a key role in the complexation. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 1440–1448, 2008     

Linear π‐conjugated polymers containing 2,4,6‐tris(thiophen‐2‐yl)‐1,3,5‐triazine unit: Synthesis and optical properties

Some linear π‐conjugated polymers containing 2,4,6‐tris(thiophen‐2‐yl)‐1,3,5‐triazine unit were synthesized via Sonogashira or Suzuki reaction for the first time and characterized by IR, NMR, and GPC. Because of the introduction of 2,4,6‐tris(thiophen‐2‐yl)‐1,3,5‐triazine unit into π‐conjugated system, all polymers exhibited good thermal stability with high decomposition temperature. Their optical and electrochemical properties were investigated. Based on the 2,4,6‐tris(thiophen‐2‐yl)‐1,3,5‐triazine unit linked with different aromatic rings, the polymers showed the tunable fluorescence from blue to blue‐green emission with satisfied quantum yield. Cyclic voltammetry measurement indicated that the LUMO and HOMO levels of the polymers could be adjustable through the main‐chain structural modification. All polymers had low LUMO level (?2.86 to ?3.06 eV) due to the high‐electron affinity of triazine unit. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 702–712, 2008     

Synthesis and Transformations of 5‐Chloro‐2,2′‐Dipyrrins and Their Boron Complexes, 8‐Chloro‐BODIPYs

Symmetric dipyrrylketones 1 a , b were synthesized in two steps from the corresponding α‐free pyrroles, by reaction with thiophosgene followed by oxidative hydrolysis under basic conditions. The dipyrrylketones produced the corresponding 5‐chloro‐dipyrrinium salts or 5‐ethoxy‐dipyrrins on reaction with phosgene or Meerwein’s salt, respectively. Boron complexation of the dipyrrins afforded the corresponding 8‐functionalized BODIPYs (borondipyrromethenes) in high yields. The 5‐chloro‐dipyrrinium salts reacted with methoxide or ethoxide ions to produce monopyrrole esters, presumably via a 5,5‐dialkoxy‐dipyrromethane intermediate. In contrast, 8‐chloro‐BODIPYs underwent a variety of nucleophilic substitutions of the chloro group in the presence of alkoxide ions, Grignard reagents, and thiols. In the presence of excess alkoxide or Grignard reagent, at room temperature or above, substitution at the boron center also occurred. The 8‐chloro‐BODIPY was a particularly useful reagent for the preparation of 8‐aryl‐, 8‐alkyl‐, and 8‐vinyl‐substituted BODIPYs in very high yields, using Pd⁰‐catalyzed Stille cross‐coupling reactions. The X‐ray structures of eleven BODIPYs and two pyrroles are presented, and the spectroscopic properties of the synthesized BODIPYs are discussed.     

Synthesis and Optical Properties of 2,13‐Dibenzothiazol‐2′‐yldibenzo[b,k]‐18‐crown‐6

A new crown ether of 2,13‐dibenzothiazol‐2′‐yldibenzo[b,k]‐18‐crown‐6 was synthesized from 2,13‐diformyl‐ dibenzo[b,k]‐18‐crown‐6 with 2‐aminothiophenol. The binding behavior and the optical properties of the crown ether were examined through UV‐visible spectroscopy and fluorescence spectroscopy. When complexed with Na⁺, K⁺, Rb⁺ and Cs⁺ ions, it led to intramolecular charge transfer and caused the changes of the fluorescence spectra. The protonation of the crown ether was also studied.     

Synthesis and Optical Properties of 2‐(Benzo[b]thiophene‐3‐yl)pyrroles and a New BODIPY Fluorophore (BODIPY=4,4‐Difluoro‐4‐bora‐3a,4a‐diaza‐s‐indacene)

The light fantastic : Two new 2‐(benzo[b]thiophene‐3‐yl)pyrroles have been synthesized, and are shown to exhibit optical properties that are promising for optoelectronic materials and devices such as highly efficient fluorescent sensors (see scheme). In addition a new BODIPY fluorophore, derived from 2‐(benzo[b]thiophene‐3‐yl)pyrrole, was also isolated and shows good spectroscopic properties in solution which are fully preserved in the solid state.

     

2,4-二氰基-3-二乙基氨基-9,9-二乙基芴基星状蓝色发光化合物的合成与性质

本文设计合成了两个新的星状分子1和2,它们分别含有一个三苯胺和苯环的核,并都以三个2,4-二氰基-3-二乙氨基-9,9-二乙基芴为端基。光学性质研究表明,这两个具有D-A结构的化合物都显示出分子内电荷转移的性质。化合物1在强极性溶剂中表现出了双荧光发射特性。这两个化合物还显示出中等强度的荧光和高的热稳定性,这预示了它们在蓝色荧光材料方面的应用潜力。     

Synthesis and characterization of poly(1,4‐bis((E)‐2‐(3‐dodecylthiophen‐2‐yl)vinyl)benzene) derivatives

New amorphous semiconducting copolymers, poly(9,9‐dialkylfluorene)‐alt‐(3‐dodecylthienyl‐divinylbenzene‐3‐dodecylthienyl) derivatives (PEFTVB and POFTVB), were designed, synthesized, and characterized. The structure of copolymers was confirmed by H NMR, IR, and elemental analysis. The copolymers showed very good solubility in organic solvents and high thermal stability with high T_g of 178–185 °C. The weight average molecular weight was found to be 107,900 with polydispersity of 3.14 for PEFTVB and 76,700 with that of 3.31 for POFTVB. UV–vis absorption studies showed the maximum absorption at 428 nm (in solution) and 435 nm (in film) for PEFTVB and at 430 nm (in solution) and 436 nm (in film) for POFTVB. Photoluminescence studies showed the emission at 498 nm (in solution) and 557 nm (in film) for PEFTVB and at 498 nm (in solution) and 536 nm (in film) for POFTVB. The solution‐processed thin‐film transistors showed the carrier mobility of 2 × 10^?4 cm² V^?1 s^?1 for PEFTVB‐based devices and 2 × 10^?5 cm² V^?1 s^?1 for POFTVB‐based devices. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 3942–3949, 2010     

Fluorescence studies of the self‐organization of a cholesterol‐bearing polymethacrylate in n‐hexane solution

A copolymer of cholesteryl 6‐(methacryloyloxy)hexanoate and a small amount of (1‐pyrenylmethyl) 6‐(methacryloyloxy)hexanoate (Py‐C₅‐MA) was prepared by free radical copolymerization. A copolymer of 1‐eicosanylmethacrylate and a small amount of Py‐C₅‐MA was also prepared as a reference copolymer. A wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction pattern for an n‐hexane solution of the cholesterol(Chol)‐containing copolymer showed a peak corresponding to a spacing of 5.3 Å. In n‐hexane, the hydrodynamic radius (R_h) for the Chol‐containing copolymer (M_w = 7.8 × 10⁴) was 8.1 nm, while that of the eicosanyl‐containing copolymer (M_w = 4.9 × 10⁴) was 9.6 nm, R_h for the former being smaller than that for the latter, although M_w for the former was higher than that of the latter. ¹H‐NMR spectra of the Chol‐containing polymer in n‐hexane‐d₁₄ indicated a strong restriction of local motions of pendant Chol groups. Fluorescence spectra of the Chol‐containing copolymer in n‐hexane indicated that each pyrene group was isolated from others. In n‐hexane/benzene mixed solutions of the Chol‐containing polymer, the ratio of the intensity of the excimer relative to the monomer emission decreased with increasing the ratio of n‐hexane in the mixed solvent. Electron transfer from N,N‐dimethylaniline to singlet‐excited pyrene chromophores was suppressed in the Chol‐containing copolymer in n‐hexane. The pyrene chromophores exhibited a long triplet lifetime in n‐hexane. These observations led us to conclude that Chol groups formed stacks in n‐hexane, and that the pyrene chromophores were trapped in the Chol stacks, leading to the “protection” of pyrene from the bulk phase. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 37: 47–58, 1999     

Effect of the Side‐Chain‐Distribution Density on the Single‐Conjugated‐Polymer‐Chain Conformation

The spatial arrangement of the side chains of conjugated polymer backbones has critical effects on the morphology and electronic and photophysical properties of the corresponding bulk films. The effect of the side‐chain‐distribution density on the conformation at the isolated single‐polymer‐chain level was investigated with regiorandom (rra‐) poly(3‐hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and poly(3‐hexyl‐2,5‐thienylene vinylene) (P3HTV). Although pure P3HTV films are known to have low fluorescence quantum efficiencies, we observed a considerable increase in fluorescence intensity by dispersing P3HTV in poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), which enabled a single‐molecule spectroscopy investigation. With single‐molecule fluorescence excitation polarization spectroscopy, we found that rra‐P3HTV single molecules form highly ordered conformations. In contrast, rra‐P3HT single molecules, display a wide variety of different conformations from isotropic to highly ordered, were observed. The experimental results are supported by extensive molecular dynamics simulations, which reveal that the reduced side‐chain‐distribution density, that is, the spaced‐out side‐chain substitution pattern, in rra‐P3HTV favors more ordered conformations compared to rra‐P3HT. Our results demonstrate that the distribution of side chains strongly affects the polymer‐chain conformation, even at the single‐molecule level, an aspect that has important implications when interpreting the macroscopic interchain packing structure exhibited by bulk polymer films.     

Interaction of water‐soluble tetrakis‐(1‐methyl‐4‐pyridiniyl)‐porphyrin and CdS naonoparticles

The interaction between positively charged porphyrin TMPyP(4) (tetrakis‐(1‐methyl‐4‐pyridiniyl) porphyrin) and negatively charged surface of colloidal CdS nanoparticles has been studied by absorption spectrum, fluorescence spectroscopy, and time‐correlated single‐photon‐counting methods. Addition of CdS colloid to a TMPyP(4) solution leads to TMPyP(4) adsorption onto the surface of CdS colloid with an apparent association constant of 4643 L/mol. This adsorption results in distinct changes in absorption spectrum of TMPyP (4) and the quenching of its′ fluorescence, but the biexponential fluorescence decay changes hardly. Nearly 90% of the fluorescence of 5 × 10^?6 mol/L TMPyP(4) can be quenched with 1.5 × 10^?4 mol/L CdS colloid. These spectral changes are attributed to the formation of a certain form complex TMPyP(4)‐CdS.     

2-萘-(OCH2CH2)n-金刚胺与6-单取代环糊精衍生物的光诱导电子转移反应

A number of naphthalene donor compounds that possess an adamantanamine binding moiety and an (OCH2CH2)n (nn1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8) spacer were synthesized. The fluorescence quenching between these donor substrates and mono-6-O-p-nitrobenzoyl-β-cyclodextrin (pNBCD) and mono-6-O-m-nitrobenzoyl-β-cyclodextrin(mNBCD) was studied in detail. It was found that very efficient fluorescence quenching could occur in these supramolecular systems. This quenching was attributed to the photoinduced electron transfer inside the supramolecular assembly between the naphthalene donors and cyclodextrin acceptors. Detailed Stern-Volmer constants were measured and they were partitioned into dynamic Stern-Volmer quenching constants and static binding constants. It was demonstrated that the binding constants between all the naphthalene compounds and cyclodextrins are the same as they possess the same binding site, i.e., adamantanamine.     

Efficient blue‐green‐emitting poly[(5‐diphenylamino‐1,3‐phenylenevinylene)‐alt‐(2,5‐dihexyloxy‐1,4‐phenylenevinylene)] derivatives: Synthesis and optical properties

New poly(phenylene vinylene) derivatives with a 5‐diphenylamino‐1,3‐phenylene linkage (including polymers 2 , 3 , and 5 ) have been synthesized to improve the charge‐injection properties. These polymers are highly photoluminescent with fluorescent quantum yields as high as 76% in tetrahydrofuran solutions. With effective π‐conjugation interruption at adjacent m‐phenylene units, chromophores of different conjugation lengths can be incorporated into the polymer chain in a controllable manner. In polymer 2 , the structural regularity leads to an isolated, well‐defined emitting chromophore. Isomeric polymer 3 of a random chain sequence, however, allows the effective emitting chromophores to be joined in sequence by sharing a common m‐phenylene linkage (as shown in a molecular fragment). Double‐layer light‐emitting‐diode devices using 2 , 3 , and 5 as emitting layers have turn‐on voltages of about 3.5 V and produce blue‐green emissions with peaks at 493, 492, and 482 nm and external quantum efficiencies up to 1.42, 0.98, and 1.53%, respectively. In comparison with a light‐emitting diode using 2 , a device using 3 shows improved charge injection and displays increased brightness by a factor of ～3 to 1400 cd/m² at an 8‐V bias. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 2307–2315, 2006