Studies of 2‐Azaazulenium Derivatives: Unsymmetrical Trimethine Cyanine Dyes Bearing a 2‐Azaazulenium Moiety as One of the Terminal Groups

We report here the synthesis of a series of symmetrical and unsymmetrical trimethine cyanine dyes derived from 2‐azaazulene, combined spectral and quantum‐chemical investigations of their molecular geometry and electron structure, as well as the nature of the lowest electron transitions. Based on the analysis of both calculations and experimental data obtained from absorption and ¹³C NMR spectra, it was concluded that the 2‐azaazulene residue can be treated as a weakly basic terminal group; its donor properties are provided with the participation of the HOMO?1, in contrast to the typical Brooker’s terminal residues with their donor HOMOs. The new classification of the terminal groups of cyanine dyes, and hence the classification of types of unsymmetrical cyanines, is proposed. It is shown that the nature of the higher electron transitions (delocalized or local) in the cyanine dyes depends on their type. In the unsymmetrical trimethine cyanine of the mixed type, negative deviations are observed in their absorption spectra.     

Macrocyclic bisbinaphthyl fluorophores and their acyclic analogues: signal amplification and chiral recognition

A series of optically active macrocyclic and acyclic bisbinaphthyls have been synthesized and characterized. The structure of one of the bisbinaphthyl macrocycles has been established by a single-crystal X-ray analysis. The UV and fluorescence spectra of these chiral compounds in various solvents and at different concentrations are studied. Formation of excimers is observed for the macrocyclic bisbinaphthyl compounds. Introduction of conjugated substituents to the 6,6'-positions of the binaphthyl units in the macrocycles leads to greatly amplified fluorescence signals. Using the 6,6'-substituted bisbinaphthyl macrocycles in place of the unsubstituted macrocycles allows a 2 orders of magnitude reduction in the sensor concentration for the fluorescence measurements. These macrocycles have exhibited highly enantioselective fluorescent enhancements in the presence of chiral alpha-hydroxycarboxylic acids and N-protected alpha-amino acids. They are useful as fluorescent sensors for chiral recognition. The macrocycles show much greater enantioselectivity in the substrate recognition than their acyclic analogues.     

Thiophene-functionalized isoindigo dyes bearing electron donor substituents with absorptions approaching the near infrared region

A series of six new, highly soluble N,N'-dialkylated isoindigo derivatives bearing different electron donating thiophene units at the 6,6'-positions were synthesized by Stille cross-coupling reaction. The optical and electrochemical properties of these dyes were studied by UV-vis spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry, revealing a good tunability of their electronic properties by peripheral substituents with amino groups leading to strong absorption reaching the NIR region. The DFT calculations of the frontier molecular orbitals of these dyes corroborate the observed substituent effect on absorption and redox properties.     

Nonradiative deactivation of the electronic excitation energy in cyanine dyes: influence of binding to DNA

The processes of nonradiative deactivation of electronic excitation energy in cyanine dyes determine their quantum yield. Because of that, the study of the influence of cyanines binding to DNA on these processes can provide information on the causes leading to the cyanines fluorescence intensity enhancement in the presence of DNA. In the presented paper, the activation energies of nonradiative degradation of electronic excitation, quantum yields and rate constants of nonradiative transitions of several cyanines in free state and in the presence of DNA were established and compared. The mechanisms of nonradiative deactivation of dye excitation energy were discussed.     

含喹啉环端基不对称三甲川菁的合成与性能

含喹啉环端基不对称三甲川菁的合成与性能姚祖光，陈峡华，张清华（华东理工大学精细化工研究所，上海，２００２３７）关键词菁，电子吸收光谱，光稳定性，光谱增感菁染料是一种卤化银乳剂的有效光谱增感剂［１］，近年来随着光源的变化，特别是半导体激光器的研制成功，...     

桥环菁染料II:1-(N-烷基-4-吡啶基)-3-(N-烷基-4-吡啶亚基)-4,5-二取代-1,4-环戊二烯菁染料的合成和质子化及荧光性质研究

本文报道带有疏水长链的桥环菁染料的合成。并研究这类菁染料的质子化过程和平衡常数、取代效应, 以及胶束、糖淀粉和环糊精对染料的可见光谱及质子化过程的影响, 本文也考察了桥环菁染料的荧光光谱, 这些研究在理论上和实际应用有一定意义。     

水溶液中一种离子菁J-聚集体引起相反电荷离子菁形成J-聚集体的影响因素

水溶液中的聚电解质可引起离子菁生成聚集体,考虑到离子菁J-聚集体与聚电解质的一些相似性,我们研究了其对相反电荷离子菁J-聚集体生成的引发作用。本文分析了离子菁J-聚集体引起相反电荷离子菁生成J-聚集体的影响因素,讨论了引发聚集与被引发聚集的离子菁的电性、它们本身的结构之间的相互关系及外加无机盐对引发聚集效应产生的影响。     

New Acrylamidinium Salts by Condensation Between Acetamidinium Salts and Aromatic Aldehydes

The well-known N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl acetamidinium salt condenses; smoothly, without any base, with (hetero)aromatic aldehydes to give a series of cinnamamidinium salts. Amide acetals react as well to form trimethine cyanines.     

New cyanine-oligonucleotide conjugates: relationships between chemical structures and properties

Because the influence of the chemical structure of monomethine cyanine-oligo-2'-deoxyribonucleotide (ODN) conjugates on their binding and fluorescence properties has remained largely undetermined, we synthesized and studied a wide range of conjugates with various structural patterns. Different cyanine dyes such as thiocyanine, quinocyanine, and thiazole orange isomers were obtained. In the case of unsymmetrical cyanines, the linker was attached to either the quinoline or the benzothiazole nucleus. The influence of the ODN counterpart was evaluated by linking the cyanines to the 5'-end or to an internucleotidic phosphate. In the first case, the influence of neighboring nucleic bases was studied, whereas in the second, the stereochemical configuration at the phosphorus atom bearing the cyanine was investigated. We report here on relationships between the structures of the dyes and conjugates and some of their properties, such as the stability and fluorescence changes observed on their hybridization with the target sequence. This study provides useful information towards the design of ODN-cyanine conjugates.     

3,3'-disubstituted BINAP ligands: synthesis, resolution, and applications in asymmetric hydrogenation

A novel family of BINAP ligands were prepared with alkoxy- and acetoxy-derived substituents in the 3,3'-positions. They were prepared through a convergent synthesis starting from readily available 4-bromo-2-naphthol. These ligands afforded excellent enantioselectivities in the asymmetric hydrogenation of substituted olefins. The presence of the 3,3'-substituents was shown to be beneficial by a direct comparison with the parent unsubstituted BINAP. [reaction: see text]     

Study of cis-trans equilibrium of oxacarbocyanine dyes in solution and in a complex with DNA

Cis-trans equilibrium for a number of meso-substituted oxacarbocyanine dyes, 3,3′-diethyloxacarbocyanine iodide (K1), 3,3′-diethyl-9-methyloxacarbocyanine iodide (K2), 3,3′-dimethyl-9-ethyloxacarbocyanine iodide (K3), 3,3′,9-triethyl-6,6′-dimethoxyoxacarbocyanine iodide (K4), and 3,3′,9-triethyl-5,5′-dimethyloxacarbocyanine iodide (K5), has been studied in solutions and in a complex with DNA by spectral and fluorescent methods. A shift of the cis-trans isomer equilibrium toward the formation of the trans-isomer was observed in the presence of DNA, which determined in many respects the spectral effects observed upon the complexation of the oxacarbocyanine dyes. A steep rise of fluorescence (due to binding of the trans-isomer) in a complex with DNA is favorable for using oxacarbocyanine dyes to determine DNA.     

A simple and effective “capping” approach to readily tune the fluorescence of near-infrared cyanines

Heptamethine cyanines are favorable for fluorescence imaging applications in biological systems owing to their near-infrared (NIR) absorption and emission. However, it is very difficult to quench the fluorescence of NIR dyes by the classic photoinduced electron transfer mechanism due to their relatively high-lying occupied molecular orbital energy levels. Herein, we present a simple and effective “capping” approach to readily tune the fluorescence of NIR cyanines. The resulting new functional NIR CyBX (X = O, N, or S) dyes not only retain the intact tricarbocyanine scaffold, but also have a built-in switch to regulate the fluorescence by spiro-cyclization. When compared to traditional cyanines, novel CyBX dyes have a superior character in that their NIR optical properties can be readily tuned by the intrinsic spiro-cyclization mechanism. We expect that this “capping” strategy can be extended across not only the visual spectrum but also to structurally distinct fluorophores.     

咪碳菁类染料在溶液中的聚集行为

本文通过观察3种咪碳菁类染料在溶液中的聚集行为,从动力学角度分析了影响J 聚集形成的主要因素.     

Preparation,Antibacterial Activity and Absorption Spectra of Pyrazolo‐Oxadiazine Cyanine Dyes

A new pyrazolo[4,3‐e]‐1,3,4‐oxadiazine heterocyclic ring system was prepared and employed to synthesize cyanine dyes of different methine types, including monomethine (simple cyanine) and trimethine (carbocyanine). The antibacterial activity of all the newly synthesized compounds was investigated against some bacterial strains. The electronic absorption spectra of the dyes were studied in absolute ethanol. The structure of all the synthesized compounds was identified via elemental and spectroscopic analysis.     

Reversed Assembly of Dyes in an RNA Duplex Compared with Those in DNA

We prepared reversed dye clusters by hybridizing two RNA oligomers, each of which tethered dyes (Methyl Red, 4′‐methylthioazobenzene, and thiazole orange) on D ‐threoninols (threoninol nucleotides) at the center of their strands. NMR spectroscopic analyses revealed that two dyes from each strand were axially stacked in an antiparallel manner to each other in the duplex, and were located adjacent to the 3′‐side of a natural nucleobase. Interestingly, this positional relationship of the dyes was completely the opposite of that assembled in DNA that we reported previously: dyes in DNA were located adjacent to the 5′‐side of a natural nucleobase. This observation was also consistent with the circular dichroism of dimerized dyes in which the Cotton effect of the dyes (i.e., the winding properties of two dyes) was inverted in RNA relative to that in DNA. Further spectroscopic analyses revealed that clustering of the dyes on RNA duplexes induced distinct hypsochromicity and narrowing of the band, thus demonstrating that the dyes were axially stacked (i.e., H‐aggregates) even on an A‐type helix. On the basis of these results, we also prepared heterodimers of a fluorophore (thiazole orange) and quencher (Methyl Red) in an RNA duplex. Fluorescence from thiazole orange was found to be strongly quenched by Methyl Red due to the excitonic interaction, so that the ratio of fluorescent intensities of the RNA–thiazole orange conjugate with and without its complementary strand carrying a quencher became as high as 27. We believe that these RNA–dye conjugates are potentially useful probes for real‐time monitoring of RNA interference (RNAi) mechanisms.     

On the nature of excited electronic states in cyanine dyes: implications for visual pigment spectra

CNDO/S CI calculations are carried out on polyenes and on cyanine dyes. In contrast to polyenes, doubly excited configurations have a strong effect on the first optically allowed excited state in cyanines. Protonated Schiff bases of retinal are closely related to cyanine dyes, with important consequences for models of visual pigment spectra and photochemistry.     

Combined use of two membrane-potential-sensitive dyes for determination of the Galvani potential difference across a biomimetic oil/water interface

The fluorescence behavior of anionic membrane-potential-sensitive dyes, bis-(1,3-dibutylbarbituric acid) trimethine oxonol (DiBAC₄(3)) and bis-(1,3-diethylthiobarbituric acid)trimethine oxonol (DiSBAC₂(3)), at a biomimetic 1,2-dichloroethane (DCE)/water (W) interface was studied by the mean of potential-modulated fluorescence (PMF) spectroscopy. The respective dyes gave a well-defined PMF signal due to the adsorption/desorption at the DCE/W interface. It was also found that the potentials where the two dyes gave the PMF signals were different by about 100 mV. We then attempted a combined use of the two dyes for determination of the Galvani potential difference across the DCE/W interface. When 40 μM DiBAC₄(3) and 15 μM DiSBAC₂(3) were initially added to the W phase, distinctly different spectra were obtained for different interfacial potentials. The ratio of the PMF signal intensities at 530 and 575 nm (the fluorescence maximum wavelengths for the respective dyes) showed a clear dependence on the interfacial potential. These results suggested the potential utility of the combined use of two dyes for the determination of membrane potentials in vivo.

Electronic spectra and trans—cis isomerism of streptopolymethine cyanines. A CS INDO CI study

The understanding of the role played by cyanine dyes in various fields of application calls for a thorough knowledge of the excited state properties of their parent chromophores, i.e. cationic streptopolymethyne cyanines. For this aim we performed a detailed CS INDO CI investigation on the electronic spectra of tri-, penta- and heptamethine cyanines, both unsubstituted (TC, PC, HC) and terminally substituted by methyl groups (BMTC, BMPC, BMHC). The study comprised S₀S_n, and S₀T_n transitions of the trans and all mono-cis isomers. CI expansions involved solely π orbitals of the polymethine chains and pseudo-π orbitals of the substituents and included all singly-excited and the most important doubly- and triply-excited configurations. The spectroscopic effects of methyl substitution are fairly well described and are shown to be especially important in the upper excited states. The identification of the photochemically formed stereoisomers is attempted in terms of mono-cis isomers. For BMPC, in particular, we report the absorption spectrum of the phototropic form and show that the photoisomer is identifiable as the 3–4 cis form.     

Fluorescent Properties of Some Thia- and Oxacarbocyanine Dyes in the Presence of DNA

Spectral and fluorescent properties of some thia- and oxacarbocyanine dyes were studied in the presence of DNA. Interaction of the dyes with DNA led to complex formation. A significant increase in the fluorescence quantum yield of the dyes in the presence of DNA was observed. The influence of a heteroatom and a substituent in the meso-position of the polymethine chain on the fluorescence growth was investigated. The stoichiometry of the strongly fluorescent dye–DNA complex was determined.     

Blue‐to‐Orange Color‐Tunable Laser Emission from Tailored Boron‐Dipyrromethene Dyes

A series of meso‐substituted boron‐bipyrromethene (BODIPY) dyes are synthesized and their laser and photophysical properties systematically studied. Laser emission covering a wide visible spectral region (from blue to orange) is obtained by just changing the electron donor character of the heteroatom at position 8. The additional presence of methyl groups at positions 3 and 5 results in dyes with a photostability similar to that of the unsubstituted dye but with much improved efficiency. Correlation of the lasing properties of the different dyes to their photophysical properties provides inklings to define synthetic strategies of new BODIPY dyes with enhanced efficiency and modulated wavelength emission over the visible spectral region.