The Fluorescence Properties of Hypocrellin B and its Amino‐substituted Derivative: Photinduced Intramolecular Proton Transfer and Photoinduced Intramolecular Electron Transfer¶

We report on the emission spectra and emission quantum yields of a newly synthesized hypocrellin dye, Z‐demethoxy‐ 2,3‐ethylenediamino hypocrellin B (EDAHB), and its parent HB in different solvents of varying polarity. Our results demonstrate that EDAHB is one of the few dyes that exhibit highly solvent polarity‐dependent fluorescence in the useful region (680–730 nm). Therefore, it offers some applications in the biomedical field as a fluorescent probe molecule. The solvatochromic effect of EDAHB is proposed to be due to a distinct change in the dipole moment of the dye on excitation. A photoinduced intramolecular proton transfer and a photoinduced intramolecular electron transfer process are considered relevant for the fluorescence properties of HB and EDAHB, respectively.     

Multidimensional reaction coordinate for the excited-state H-atom transfer in perylene quinones: importance of the 7-membered ring in hypocrellins A and B

The excited-state intramolecular H-atom transfer reactions of hypocrellins B and A are compared by using time-resolved absorption and fluorescence upconversion techniques. The hypocrellin B photophysics are well described by a simple model involving one ground-state species and excited-state forward and reverse H-atom transfer with a nonfluorescent excited state. We suggest that excited-state conformational changes are coupled to the H-atom transfer in hypocrellin B just as gauche/anti changes are coupled to the H-atom transfer in hypocrellin A.     

Interaction of Hypocrellin B or Mono-cysteine Substituted Hypocrellin B with CT-DNA by Spectral Methods

The interaction of the anticancer drug hypocrellin B (FIB) or the mono-cysteine substituted hypocrellin B (MCHB) and calf thymus deoxyribonucleic acid (CT-DNA) has been investigated using spectral methods. The results of UV-visible spectra show that the HB and MCHB could intercalate into the base-stacking domain of the CT-DNA double helix. The studies of fluorescence spectra and circular dichroism(CD) spectra also support the interacalation mechanism.     

Cryogenic fluorescence and absorption spectroscopy studies on monomeric and dimeric species of 2-butylamino-6-methyl-4-nitropyridine N-oxide

2-Butylamino-6-methyl-4-nitropyridine-N-oxide (2B6M) belongs to a group of compounds that can undergo not only excited-state intra-, but also intermolecular proton transfer. The latter of course requires the presence of dimeric species. Previously, we have shown that for 2B6M in aprotic non-polar solvents in the liquid state such dimers play no role. Under these conditions, only one single monomeric species exists, exhibiting anomalous fluorescence behavior, i.e. proton transfer not only starting from the lowest excited electronic singlet state, but also from higher excited states. However, we also noted that under frozen, crystalline matrix conditions more species show up in the spectra. In order to study this multi-species system in more detail, we present absorption and fluorescence experiments on 2B6M, recorded in n-octane at various temperatures between 293 and 5 K. High-resolution spectra are included, not only in fluorescence but also in absorption. We demonstrate that under cryogenic conditions three species can be discerned, two of these providing high-resolution spectra with their main 0-0 lines around 452 and 465 nm, respectively. A detailed vibrational analysis of their emission spectra is included. The third species gives broad-banded spectra, in absorption extending to about 520 nm with its long-wavelength maximum around 460 nm, in emission with a maximum around 535 nm. We tentatively assign the three species to a monomer, a H-bonded dimer and a strongly interacting (pi-pi-stacked) dimer, respectively. We conclude from the excitation spectra that (anomalous) intramolecular proton transfer at higher excited states is still operative under cryogenic conditions. Indications for excited-state intermolecular proton transfer in the stacked dimeric species were not found.     

Spectroscopic studies of water-soluble sulfonated calix[6]arene

Fluorescence and absorption studies of water-soluble sulfonated calix[6]arene (SCX6) are reported. Water-soluble calixarenes are potentially useful as host molecules for luminophores, and studies of their spectroscopic characteristics are therefore crucial. The absorption and fluorescence spectra of these molecules in aqueous solution were collected, analyzed, and compared with 4-hydroxybenzene sulfonate at different pHs. A red shift in the absorption spectrum and a change in the fluorescence spectrum of the calixarenes are observed upon an increase in pH from 2.0 to 13.0. Some of these spectroscopic changes are attributed to intramolecular hydrogen bonding between adjacent hydroxyl groups of SCX6 after proton disassociation. The formation of excimers between phenolic groups in the calixarene molecule is proposed. In addition, inner-filter effects of SCX6 are discussed. These inner-filter effects prove to be a disadvantage for the use of SCX6 as a host molecule for complexation studies by use of fluorescence probes whose absorption spectra overlap with those of calixarenes.     

竹红菌甲素和吲哚类化合物的相互作用

本文利用吸收光谱,荧光光谱研究了竹红菌甲素(以下简称HA)和吲哚类化合物的相互作用。发现HA和吲哚类化合物在一定条件下可形成复合物。这种复合物带有电荷转移性质。吲哚环上带有给电子取代基,位阻小,溶剂的极性大和溶液呈中性有利于该复合物的形成。     

痂囊腔菌素A与咔唑化合物间的光致电子转移

研究了咔唑、咔唑-9-乙酸、3-溴-咔唑-9-乙酸在缺氧条件下对天然苝醌化合物痂囊腔菌素A(简记为EA)的荧光猝灭行为;由竹红菌甲素(HA)和乙素(HB)的荧光寿命估算了EA在乙腈中的荧光寿命,并进而计算了三个咔唑化合物的双分子猝灭速度常数.结果表明,三个咔唑化合物在EA的可见光吸收区无光吸收,据此推测其对EA的荧光猝灭作用归因于咔唑化合物作为电子给体而EA作为电子受体的光致电子转移作用.三个咔唑化合物的Stern-Volmer猝灭常数分别为698、704和1 063L·mol-1;乙酸基对咔唑环的光致电子转移速率几乎没有影响,而溴原子取代能够增加咔唑化合物对EA的荧光猝灭程度和光致电子转移速率.此外,EA在乙腈中的荧光寿命为1.98ns,而三个咔唑化合物的双分子猝灭速率常数分别为3.52×1011,3.56×1011和5.37×1011 L·mol-1·s-1.     

Crystal structure, spectroscopic, and theoretical investigations of excited-state proton transfer in the doubly hydrogen-bonded dimer of 2-butylamino-6-methyl-4-nitropyridine N-oxide

The crystal structure of 2-butylamino-6-methyl-4-nitropyridine N-oxide (2B6M) was resolved on the basis of X-ray diffraction. Solid 2B6M occurs in the form of a doubly hydrogen-bonded dimer with squarelike hydrogen-bonding network composed of two intra- (2.556(2) A) and two intermolecular (2.891(2) A) N-H...O type hydrogen bonds. The molecule thus has both a protonable and a deprotonable group that led us to investigate the possibility of an excited-state proton transfer (ESIPT) reaction in different solvents by means of experimental absorption, steady state, and time-resolved emission spectroscopy. The results were correlated with quantum mechanical TD-DFT and PM3 calculations. Experimental and theoretical findings show the possibility of an ESIPT reaction in polar solvents. It is demonstrated that in particular the emission spectra of 2B6M are very sensitive to solvent properties, and a large value of the Stokes shift (about 8000 cm(-1)) in acetonitrile is indicative for an ESIPT process. This conclusion is further supported by time-resolved fluorescence decay measurents that show dual exponential decay in polar solvents. Vertical excitation energies calculated by TD-DFT reproduce the experimental absorption maxima in nonpolar solvents well. The majority of electronic transitions in 2B6M is of pi --> pi* character with a charge shift from the electron-donating to the electron-accepting groups. The calculations show that, due to the charge redistribution on excitation, the acidity of the amino group increases significantly, which facilitates the proton transfer from the amino to the N-oxide group in the excited state.     

Emission spectra and electronic energy levels of the rotational isomers of pyridinecarboxaldehyde vapors

Emission and excitation spectra of 2-, 3- and 4-pyridinecarboxaldehyde (2-, 3- and 4-PCA, respectively) vapors have been measured at different temperatures and compared to one another. The emission spectra of these vapors are shown to consist of the T(1)(n, pi) --> S(0) phosphorescence accompanied by the weak thermally activated S(1)(n, pi) --> S(0) delayed fluorescence. Two peaks originating from the two rotamers (syn and anti) have been identified in the fluorescence, phosphorescence and excitation spectra of 3-PCA vapor. Analyses of the temperature dependence and vibrational structure of the spectra of 3-PCA vapor provide the syn-anti energy difference of 190 +/- 30 cm(-1) in the T(1) (n, pi) state, 200 +/- 30 cm(-1) in the S(1)(n, pi) state, and 290 +/- 35 cm(-1) in the ground state. The ground-state energy difference is in agreement with the result of density functional theory (DFT) calculation for 3-PCA vapor. DFT calculation demonstrated also that the syn rotamer exists as a less stable isomer in the ground state for 2- and 3-PCA vapors.     

On the inoperativeness of the ESIPT process in the emission of 1-hydroxy-2-acetonaphthone: a reappraisal

For a molecule which contains an intramolecular hydrogen bond (IMHB) in its chemical structure to undergo an excited singlet intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) process, on photoexcitation, there must occur a simultaneous increase, in a substantial manner, in the acidity of the proton donor and the basicity of the proton acceptor forming the IMHB [J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2001, 123, 11940]. For the reason that those changes occur on photoexcitation of the 2-hydroxyacetophenone but not for 1-hydroxy-acetonaphthone, one draws the conclusion that, while ESIPT is operative in the 1(pi,pi*)(1) electronic state of the monocyclic compound 2-hydroxyacetophenone, it is not operative in its bicyclic homolog 1-hydroxy-2-acetonaphthone. We have shown the photophysics of 1-hydroxy-2-acetonaphthone in its first excited electronic state to be governed by two stable, easily reconverted enol structures, the presence of which causes the peaks in the free-jet fluorescence excitation spectrum for the compound to split into two of similar strength. In this paper, we rationalize photophysical evidence for 1-hydroxy-2-acetonaphthone obtained by femtosecond spectroscopy over the past 13 years in the light of existing photophysical patterns based on steady-state spectra for the compound [J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1993, 115, 4321].     

Photophysics of Hypericin and Hypocrellin A in Complex with Subcellular Components: Interactions with Human Serum Albumin

Time-resolved fluorescence and absorption measurements are performed on hypericin complexed with human serum albumin, HSA (1:4, 1:1 and approximately 5:1 hypericin: HSA complexes). Detailed comparisons with hypocrellin A/HSA complexes (1:4 and 1:1) are made. Our results are consistent with the conclusions of previous studies indicating that hypericin binds to HSA by means of a specific hydrogen-bonded interaction between its carbonyl oxygen and the N1-H of the tryptophan residue in the IIA subdomain of HSA. (They also indicate that some hypericin binds nonspecifically to the surface of the protein.) A single-exponential rotational diffusion time of 31 ns is measured for hypericin bound to HSA, indicating that it is very rigidly held. Energy transfer from the tryptophan residue of HSA to hypericin is very efficient and is characterized by a critical distance of 94 A, from which we estimate a time constant for energy transfer of approximately 3 x 10(-15) s. Although it is tightly bound to HSA, hypericin is still capable of executing excited-state intramolecular proton (or hydrogen atom) transfer in the approximately 5:1 complex, albeit to a lesser extent than when it is free in solution. It appears that the proton transfer process is completely impeded in the 1:1 complex. The implications of these results for hypericin (and hypocrellin A) are discussed in terms of the mechanism of intramolecular excited-state proton transfer, the mode of binding to HSA and the light-induced antiviral and antitumor activity.     

Inner-shell excitation spectroscopy and fragmentation of small hydrogen-bonded clusters of formic acid after core excitations at the oxygen K edge

Inner-shell excitation spectra and fragmentation of small clusters of formic acid have been studied in the oxygen K-edge region by time-of-flight fragment mass spectroscopy. In addition to several fragment cations smaller than the parent molecule, we have identified the production of HCOOH.H+ and H3O+ cations characteristic of proton transfer reactions within the clusters. Cluster-specific excitation spectra have been generated by monitoring the partial ion yields of the product cations. Resonance transitions of O1s(C[double bond]O/OH) electrons into pi(CO)* orbital in the preedge region were found to shift in energy upon clusterization. A blueshift of the O1s(C[double bond]O)-->pi(CO)* transition by approximately 0.2 eV and a redshift of the O1s(OH)-->pi(CO)* by approximately 0.6 eV were observed, indicative of strong hydrogen-bond formation within the clusters. The results have been compared with a recent theoretical calculation, which supports the conclusion that the formic-acid clusters consist of the most stable cyclic dimer andor trimer units. Specifically labeled formic acid-d, HCOOD, was also used to examine the core-excited fragmentation mechanisms. These deuterium-labeled experiments showed that HDO+ was formed via site-specific migration of a formyl hydrogen within an individual molecule, and that HD2O+ was produced via the subsequent transfer of a deuterium atom from the hydroxyl group of a nearest-neighbor molecule within a cationic cluster. Deuteron (proton) transfer from the hydroxyl site of a hydrogen-bond partner was also found to take place, producing deuteronated HCOOD.D+ (protonated HCOOH.H+) cations within the clusters.     

Excited state properties of 7-hydroxy-4-methylcoumarin in the gas phase and in solution. A theoretical study

TDDFT/B3LYP and RI-CC2 calculations with different basis sets have been performed for vertical and adiabatic excitations and emission properties of the lowest singlet states for the neutral (enol and keto), protonated and deprotonated forms of 7-hydroxy-4-methylcoumarin (7H4MC) in the gas phase and in solution. The effect of 7H4MC-solvent (water) interactions on the lowest excited and fluorescence states were computed using the Polarizable Continuum Method (PCM), 7H4MC-water clusters and a combination of both approaches. The calculations revealed that in aqueous solution the pi pi* energy is the lowest one for excitation and fluorescence transitions of all forms of 7H4MC studied. The calculated excitation and fluorescence energies in aqueous solution are in good agreement with experiment. It was found that, depending on the polarity of the medium, the solvent shifts vary, leading to a change in the character of the lowest excitation and fluorescence transition. The dipole-moment and electron-density changes of the excited states relative to the ground state correlate with the solvation effect on the singlet excited states and on transition energies, respectively. The calculations show that, in contrast to the ground state, the keto form has a lower energy in the pi pi* state as compared to enol, demonstrating from this point of view the energetic possibility of proton transfer from the enol to the keto form in the excited state.     

Synthesis, characterization and photodynamic activity of amino-substituted hypocrellin derivatives

Three new hypocrellin derivatives, amino- or amino acid-substituted on the side ring of hypocrellin B (HB), were synthesized by the reactions of HB with 3-methoxypropylamine, 6-aminohexanoic acid and gamma-amino-n-butyric acid, respectively. The structures of these compounds were characterized with proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectra, infrared spectra and mass spectra. The UV-visible absorption spectra, singlet oxygen-generating quantum yield and amphiphilicities of hypocrellin derivatives were measured and compared with HB, the parent compound. These derivatives showed strong absorption in the domain of the phototherapeutic window (600-900 nm) and improved amphiphilicity. HB and the derivatives were preliminarily tested for their photodynamic effects on human oral cavity epithelial carcinoma KB cell line in vitro. Two amino acid-substituted hypocrellins showed phototoxicity to the KB cell line. At an inhibitory dosage of 50% killing only 0.51 mumol L-1 compound 3 (or 0.88 mumol L-1 compound 2) and 0.5 J cm-2 irradiation were required. The hypocrellins exhibited some dark toxicity to the KB cell line. HB and amino acid-substituted hypocrellins showed lower dark toxicity to the KB cell line than amino-substituted hypocrellins in the assessment of cell survival.     

Correlating proton transfer dynamics to probe location in confined environments

The dramatic impact of differing environments on proton transfer dynamics of the photoacid HPTS prompted us to investigate these systems with two highly complementary methods: ultrafast time-resolved transient absorption and two-dimensional NMR spectroscopies. Both ultrafast time-resolved transient absorption spectroscopy and time-resolved anisotropy decays demonstrate the proton transfer dynamics depend intimately on the specific reverse micellar system. For w(0) = 10 reverse micelles formed with anionic AOT surfactant, the HPTS proton transfer dynamics are similar to dynamics in bulk aqueous solution, and the corresponding (1)H 2D NOESY NMR spectra display no cross peaks between HPTS and AOT consistent with the HPTS residing well hydrated by water in the interior of the reverse micelle water pool. In contrast, ultrafast transient absorption experiments show no evidence for HPTS photoinduced proton transfer reaction in reverse micelles formed with the cationic CTAB surfactant. In CTAB reverse micelles, clear cross peaks between HPTS and CTAB in the 2D NMR spectra show that HPTS embeds in the interface. These results indicate that the environment strongly impacts the proton transfer reaction and that complementary experimental techniques develop understanding of how location critically affects molecular responses.     

Triplet excimers of fluoroquinolones in aqueous media

Generation of triplet eximers of 6-fluoro-7-piperazinyl-quinolone-3-carboxylic acids (FQs) have been detected in aqueous media using laser flash photolysis (LFP). These transient species (SS) are generated by self-quenching reactions of FQ triplet excited states such as pefloxacin (PFX), norfloxacin (NFX), the N-acetylated form of NFX (ANFX), and its methyl ester (EANFX) with their ground states. In this context, self-quenching rate constants in the range of (1-7) × 10(8) M(-1) s(-1) were determined. The triplet excimers show transient absorption spectra with λ(max) ca. 710 nm for SS(NFX), 740 nm for SS(PFX), and 620 nm for SS(ANFX) and E(ANFX), which are red-shifted with respect to their predecessors triplet excited states. These excimers can be also observed in the presence of phosphate buffer (PB). Experiments performed with NFX and ANFX at different PB concentrations showed that deprotonation processes are not involved in the generation of SS. The triplet multiplicity of the FQ excimers was confirmed by energy transfer reactions with naproxen. The correlation between fluorescence, intersystem crossing, excimer and photodegradation quantum yields of (A)NFX indicated that FQ self-quenching reactions are mainly a deactivation pathway. On the other hand, generation of FQ radical anions absorbing at λ(max) ca. 620 nm has been observed by an efficient electron transfer reaction from Trp to NFX, PFX, and ANFX (rate constants ca. 1 × 10(9) M(-1) s(-1)).     

Structural dynamics and energy flow in Rydberg-excited clusters of N,N-dimethylisopropylamine

In molecular beams, the tertiary amine N,N-dimethylisopropyl amine can form molecular clusters that are evident in photoelectron and mass spectra obtained upon resonant multiphoton ionization via the 3p and 3s Rydberg states. By delaying the ionization pulse from the excitation pulse we follow, in time, the ultrafast energy relaxation dynamics of the 3p to 3s internal conversion and the ensuing cluster evaporation, proton transfer, and structural dynamics. While evaporation of the cluster occurs in the 3s Rydberg state, proton transfer dominates on the ion surface. The mass-spectrum shows protonated species that arise from a proton transfer from the alpha-carbon of the neutral parent molecule to the N-atom of its ionized partner in the dimer. DFT calculations support the proton transfer mechanism between tightly bonded cluster components. The photoelectron spectrum shows broad peaks, ascribed to molecular clusters, which have an instantaneous shift of about 0.5 eV toward lower binding energies. That shift is attributed to the charge redistribution associated with the induced dipoles in surrounding cluster molecules. A time-dependent shift that decreases the Rydberg electron binding energy by a further 0.4 eV arises from the structural reorganization of the cluster solvent molecules as they react to the sudden creation of a charge.     

竹红菌甲素荧光光谱的环境效应

竹红菌甲素(简称HA)是从竹红菌中提取的一种光敏色素,属于苝醌的衍生物,它对许多皮肤病都有显著的光疗作用。最近发现HA能杀死肿瘤细胞并富集在肿瘤组织处(傅乃武未发表的结果),虽然刘景瑤等管对它的荧光光谱作过研究,但还有许多问题有待于进一步的探讨。本文详细研究了环境对HA荧光光谱的影响,这有助于了解不同环境中激发态HA的性质,进而弄清竹红菌的光疗机制。     

Structure and spectral-fluorescent properties of 6-pyrazolyl-4-methylumbelliferone

Spectral-fluorescent properties of 6-pyrazolyl-4-methylubbelliferone have been investigated in comparison with 4-methylumbelliferone and its methyl ester. Abnormally large Stokes shifts and the fluorescence ability of these compounds have been interpreted using quantum-chemical analysis by the DFT and TDDFT methods with the B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) basis set of the change of charge and bond orders in the ground and first excited states. It has been established that the significant difference in the absorption and fluorescence spectra of the studied 7-hydroxycoumarins in proton-donor solvents is caused by proton abstraction and transfer in their neutral form upon photoexcitation with probable formation of the anion and the tautomer depending the pH of the medium. It has been shown that the formation probability for these species is increased by introducing the pyrazolyl cycle in the 6-position of 4-methylumbelliferone.     

质子化丙酮分子团簇的结构和振动光谱

The stable structures and vibrational spectra of protonated acetone molecule clusters with different sizes （CH3COCH3）nH +（n=1-7）are calculated at the 6-31G（d）level by means of density functional theory （B3LYP）quantum chemical calculations. The corresponding energies are analyzed at the level B3LYP/6-311+G（3df,2p）in order to obtain more accurate results. The proton affinity of neutral cyclic acetone molecule clusters increases with the increasing of cluster size. The calculated results show that the protonated acetone clusters have certain growth regularity with forming a solvation shell at the beginning and then new added acetone molecule attacking different active sites including the middle carbon atoms and the different methyl in solvation shell. The IR spectra of the protonated clusters are more complicate than that of neutral ones. The strongest peaks result from the movement of the proton between the two oxygen atoms in solvant shell apart from the case of n=1. Carbonyl stretching vibraional peaks split into the more and more and in general the corresponding intensities are weakened due to the protonation with the increasing of cluster size.