Singlet oxygen generation ability of squarylium cyanine dyes

The quantum yields for singlet oxygen generation of several squarylium cyanine dyes derived from benzothiazole, benzoselenazole and quinoline, displaying absorption within the so-called “phototherapeutic window” (600–1000 nm), were determined, envisioning their potential usefulness for photodynamic therapy (PDT). The determination was performed by a direct method measuring the luminescence decay of the dyes in the near infrared. Considering the absorption and the quantum yields displayed by some of the dyes, these seemed to be potential candidates as sensitizers for PDT.     

Efficient singlet oxygen generation by excitonic energy transfer on ultrathin g-C3N4 for selective photocatalytic oxidation of methyl-phenyl-sulfide with O2

Efficient generation of singlet oxygen (¹O₂) by an excitonic energy transfer process is highly desired on a semiconductor photocatalyst for selective oxidation of methyl phenyl sulfide (MPS). Herein, it is demonstrated that a large amount of ¹O₂ is produced on pristine graphitic carbon nitride (CN) nanosheet compared with bismuth oxybromide (BiOBr) and commercial P25 titanium dioxide (TiO₂). This leads to a certain photoactivity of CN for MPS oxidation. The observed ∼77% selectivity for CN depends on the competitive results of excitonic energy transfer for ¹O₂ formation and charge carrier separation for superoxide radical (O₂⁻) production, which are based on the phosphorescence spectra and electron paramagnetic resonance signals, respectively. Moreover, ultrathin CN nanosheets are synthesized by thermal treatment with the cyanuric acid-melamine hydrogen bonded aggregates as precursors. It is confirmed that the amount of produced ¹O₂ could be increased by decreasing the thickness of resultant CN nanosheets. The optimized ultrathin CN nanosheet (∼4 nm) exhibits excellent photoactivity with high selectivity (∼99%). It is suggested that the excitonic energy transfer for ¹O₂ formation is close related to the intrinsic exciton binding energy and the two-dimensional quantum confinement effect. This work establishes a basic mechanistic understanding on the excitonic processes in CN, and develops a feasible route to design CN-based photocatalysts for efficient ¹O₂ generation.     

Singlet oxygen addition to homoallylic substrates in solution and microemulsion: novel secondary reactions

The photooxygenation of three homoallylic substrates, the γ,δ-unsaturated ketone 1a, nitrile 2a, and the γ,δ-unsaturated ester 3a was investigated in homogeneous solution and in microemulsion (for 1a). Two secondary reaction pathways were detected for the allylic hydroperoxides of type b and c, respectively. The cyclization reactions of 1b and 2b to the 1,2-dioxanes 1d and 2d followed well-known reaction patterns, whereas the base-catalyzed epoxide (1e-3e) formation from the tertiary allylic hydroperoxides 1c-3c is a unprecedented reaction type.     

Synthesis, excitation energy transfer and singlet oxygen photogeneration of covalently linked N-confused porphyrin-porphyrin and Zn(II) porphyrin dyads

Dyads of a N-confused porphyrin (NCP) moiety covalently linked to a porphyrin free-base (H₂P) or a zinc(II) porphyrinate (ZnP) moiety via a flexible alkyl chain of variable length have been synthesized. Photoluminescence study demonstrated an efficient excitation energy transfer from H₂P/ZnP moiety to the NCP moiety. Measurement of the near-IR emission of singlet oxygen produced by these dyads via photosensitization showed that the NCP-ZnP dyads (Ф_Δ = (0.61-0.65) ± 0.13) were better ¹O₂ generators than the NCP-P dyads (Ф_Δ = (0.36-0.41) ± 0.08).     

Photophysical properties and photocytotoxicity of novel phthalocyanines - potentially useful for their application in photodynamic therapy

Two novel zinc(II) phthalocyanines bearing non-peripheral ester-alkyloxy substituents (Pc-4 and Pc-5) were synthesized, by a two-step procedure starting from 2,3-dicyanohydroquinone. Both sensitizers show promising photophysical properties, including solvatochromic study, qualitative evaluation of emission, aggregation behavior and singlet oxygen generation. It was proven that the photodynamic activity of the compounds studied depends on the molecular oxygen level. Comparison of the quantum yields of singlet oxygen generation as well as the oxidation rate constants using 1,3-diphenylisobenzofurane before and after deaeration proved the photodynamic effect of Pc-4 and Pc-5 to be governed by the photosensitization mechanism II. Changes in the quantities of the compounds exposed to irradiation were also estimated. Upon their exposure to light the changes in intensity of the Q band were monitored. The photodecomposition of Pc-4 and Pc-5 in DMSO or DMF solutions was found to proceed according to the first order kinetic reaction in two stages.The photosensitizing effect of Pc-4 in HSC-3 cells was significantly lower than that of ZnPc. Pc-4 was ineffective at 0.1 μM, while a low, approx. 15% photocytotoxicity was observed at 5 μM, at a distance of 5 and 10 cm. The efficacy of Pc-4 in photokilling of cultured cells is affected by hydrophobicity and the aggregation status of the photosensitizer.     

Dimethylsulfoxide as a kinetic booster for the chemical generation of singlet oxygen in methanol

The kinetic booster effect of dimethylsulfoxide on the chemical generation of singlet oxygen, ¹O₂, from the disproportionation of hydrogen peroxide catalyzed by molybdate ions in methanol has been evidenced by detection of the IR luminescence of ¹O₂ at 1270 nm and by ⁹⁵Mo NMR spectroscopy. DMSO interacts rapidly, through a direct oxygen transfer with the stable tetraperoxomolybdate , leading to DMSO₂ and to the unstable triperoxomolybdate , which releases ¹O₂. The procedure was applied to accelerate the dark singlet oxygenation of β-citronellol and α-terpinene.     

Novel regiochemistry in the aqueous singlet oxygen ene reactions of carboxylic acid salts: a comparison of substrate structure

The singlet oxygen (¹Δ_g) photooxidations of angelic acid salt (1), tiglic acid salt (2), 2,3-dimethyl-2-butenoic acid salt (3), 3-ethoxycarbonyl-5,6-dihydro-2-methyl-4H-pyrane acid salt (4), cis-3-hexenoic acid salt (5), and trans-3-hexenoic acid salt (6) were conducted in deuterated water. The major and minor ene allylic hydroperoxide products were quantified and indicate that the allylic hydrogen geminal to the carboxylate group is preferentially abstracted in 1-4, whereas the allylic hydrogen α to the carboxylate is slightly favored for 5 and 6. We have attributed the observed regiochemistry in 1-4 to stabilizing hydrogen bonding interactions between the solvent and the perepoxide, which leads to the major ene product.     

Computational linear dependence in molecular electronic structure calculations using universal basis sets

Distributed universal even‐tempered basis sets have been developed over recent years that are capable of supporting Hartree–Fock energies to an accuracy approaching the sub‐μHartree level. These basis sets have also been exploited in correlation studies, in applications to polyatomic molecules, and in the calculation of electric properties, such as multipole moments, polarizabilities, and hyperpolarizabilities. Jorge and coworkers have also developed universal basis sets and have recently reported applications to diatomic molecular systems. In this article, we compare the molecular calculations reported by Jorge and coworkers with our previous studies. Particular attention is given to the degree of computational linear dependence associated with the various basis sets employed and the consequential effects of the accuracy of the calculated energies. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2005     

Fraction of excited-state oxygen formed as b Σg in solution-phase-photosensitized reactions II. Effects of sensitizer substituent

The fraction F_Σ of excited-state oxygen formed as b ¹Σ_g⁺ was determined for a series of triplet-state photosensitizers in CCl₄ solutions. F_Σ was determined by monitoring the intensities of (a) O₂(b ¹Σ_g⁺) fluorescence at 1926 nm (O₂(b ¹Σ_g⁺)→O₂(a ¹Δ_g) and (b) O₂(a ¹ Δ_g) phosphorescence at 1270 nm (O₂(a ¹Δ_g) → O₂(X³Σ_g⁻)). Oxygen excited states were formed by energy transfer from substituted benzophenones and acetophenones. The data indicate that F_Σ depends on several variables including the orbital configuration of the lowest triplet state and the triplet-state energy. The available data indicate that the sensitizer-oxygen charge transfer (CT) state is not likely to influence F_Σ strongly by CT-mediated mixing of various sensitizer-oxygen states.     

Post-column photochemical reaction detection in liquid chromatography based on photosensitized generation of singlet molecular oxygen: Study of reaction parameters and application to the determination of polychlorinated biphenyls

Summary The parameters effecting the sensitivity and selectivity of a photochemical reaction detection scheme based on the reaction of 3-substituted pyrroles with singlet molecular oxygen (¹O₂) in HPLC are reported. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were chosen as model compounds for the detection scheme. Following separation by reverse-phase chromatography, PCBs are excited by a Hg pen-ray lamp in a crocheted PTFE photochemical reactor. PCBs that are efficient¹O₂-sensitizers promote ground state O₂ (³Σ_-3) to an excited state (¹Σ_g+ or¹Δ_g) which rapidly oxidizes 3-substituted pyrroles which are added to the mobile phase. Detection is based on the loss of pyrrole. The reaction is catalytic in nature since one analyte molecule may absorb light many times, producing large amounts of¹O₂. Detection limits for 4,4′-dichlorobiphenyl and Aroclors 1242, 1248 and 1254 were improved by 1–2 orders of magnitude over optimized UV-absorbance detection. Configuration of the photochemical reactor and judicious choice of the wavelength used to follow the loss of pyrrole were determined to be the most important factors in terms of sensitivity of the detection scheme. Comparison of three reagents (i.e. 3-substituted-pyrroles) used for trapping¹O₂ demonstrates the effect of substitution on sensitivity and to some extent selectivity of PCB determination.     

Sparse matrix multiplications for linear scaling electronic structure calculations in an atom-centered basis set using multiatom blocks

A sparse matrix multiplication scheme with multiatom blocks is reported, a tool that can be very useful for developing linear-scaling methods with atom-centered basis functions. Compared to conventional element-by-element sparse matrix multiplication schemes, efficiency is gained by the use of the highly optimized basic linear algebra subroutines (BLAS). However, some sparsity is lost in the multiatom blocking scheme because these matrix blocks will in general contain negligible elements. As a result, an optimal block size that minimizes the CPU time by balancing these two effects is recovered. In calculations on linear alkanes, polyglycines, estane polymers, and water clusters the optimal block size is found to be between 40 and 100 basis functions, where about 55-75% of the machine peak performance was achieved on an IBM RS6000 workstation. In these calculations, the blocked sparse matrix multiplications can be 10 times faster than a standard element-by-element sparse matrix package.     

具有独特电子结构的锌掺杂SnO2介导形成氧空位实现高效稳定的光催化降解甲苯

室内家具和工业生产排放的挥发性有机化合物(VOCs)是典型的空气污染物,对环境和人类健康造成严重威胁.然而,目前广泛应用的二氧化钛(P25)光催化剂在降解VOCs,尤其是降解芳香烃的过程中,存在光催化转化率低,失活快等问题.因此,开发具有高效和稳定性的新型光催化剂来降解VOCs,并将其实际应用是重要的科学问题.SnO₂是一种稳定无毒的半导体光催化剂,但电子和空穴的复合率较高.掺杂过渡金属离子后可以提供缺陷态来抑制催化剂电子空穴对的快速复合,促进界面电荷转移.相比其他金属离子,Zn²⁺与Sn⁴⁺的离子半径非常相近,因此Zn²⁺会很容易掺杂到SnO₂晶格中.并且用Zn²⁺取代Sn⁴⁺会形成表面修饰,即形成更多的氧空位(SOVs)来补偿正电荷.氧空位的存在不仅会产生缺陷能级,而且还可以促进大量局域电子的累积.SnO₂上氧空位和Zn掺杂结构的协同作用可以弥补单一的外源离子掺杂或产生氧空位的不足.因此,本文采用一种简便的一步法合成催化剂Zn-SnO₂,即在SnO₂上同时实现Zn掺杂和形成SOVs,利用两者对SnO₂的协同作用提高电荷转移和分离效率,使其在低或高相对湿度条件下均表现出高效、稳定的光催化降解甲苯性能.采用低温固态电子顺磁共振(EPR)检测了催化剂中的氧空位,在纯SnO₂中仅检测到弱的EPR信号,而Zn-SnO₂上的EPR信号非常强,表明Zn²⁺的掺杂诱导产生了大量的氧空位.扫描电镜和透射电镜结果表明,掺杂Zn²⁺可以有效抑制SnO₂纳米粒子的晶体生长和相变,使得掺杂Zn²⁺的SnO₂粒子的粒径显著减小,从而导致SOVs含量增加,此外粒径的减小有利于增大其比表面积,增加活性吸附位点.紫外可见漫反射结果表明,Zn-SnO₂拓宽了光吸收范围,这归因于锌掺杂和氧空位的协同作用.在紫外光照射下,Zn-SnO₂的光催化降解甲苯性能优于纯SnO₂和P25,降解率达到77.5%.ESR光谱结果表明,Zn-SnO₂上的电子自旋共振信号强度均强于纯SnO₂和P25,说明Zn-SnO₂具有较好的氧化能力,也与DFT计算O₂和H₂O的吸附能结果相吻合,表明了锌掺杂和SOVs对SnO₂的协同作用可以显著提高电荷转移和分离效率.最后,通过原位红外光谱和DFT计算方法对甲苯降解的机理进行了研究.结果表明,甲苯的苯环在纯SnO₂表面倾向于在苯甲酸阶段打开,在Zn-SnO₂表面更倾向于在苯甲醛阶段选择性地开环.可见,Zn-SnO₂光催化剂缩短了甲苯的降解路径,并能显著抑制中间毒副产物产生.综上,本工作提供了一种安全,高效和可持续的降解VOCs的光催化剂.     

化学链制氢中Fe2O3/LaFeO3载氧体的性能研究

采用柠檬酸络合法制备Fe₂O₃/LaFeO₃复合氧化物,将该氧化物作为化学链制氢过程的载氧体,在反应温度为900 ℃、常压下,对Fe₂O₃/CH₄（剂烷比）、进水量、金属负载量进行了考察。结果表明,剂烷比为2：1、进水量为0.1 mL、质量分数15%Fe时载氧体性能最好,甲烷转化率达到60%,单次循环氢气产量为45 mL。将该评价结果与XRD和H₂-TPR表征结果进行关联发现,反应过程的活性位不是金属氧化物,而是吸附氧,而且吸附氧越容易还原,甲烷转化率和氢气产量越高。通过连续60次还原-氧化循环发现,该载氧体上甲烷转化率和氢气产量比较稳定,循环后仍然保持钙钛矿结构。     

Increased oxygen transfer in a yeast fermentation using a microbubble dispersion

A microbubble dispersion (MBD) was used to supply oxygen for aerobic fermentations in a standard 2 L stirred tank fermenter. The microbubble dispersion was formed using only surfactants produced naturally. Growth rates ofSaccharomyces cerevisiae cultures were found to be equal or greater with MBD sparging than with gas sparging. The oxygen transfer coefficent with MBD sparging was found to be 190/h and independent of impeller speed from 100–580 rpm. The oxygen transfer coefficient with air sparging rose from 55 to 132/h over the same range of impeller speeds. Power requirements for the fermenter systems were estimated.     

Changes in the surface structure of Pd/Ta2O5 by oxygen and CO studied using X‐ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS)

Behaviors of Pd structures with different thicknesses supported by Ta₂O₅/Ta in the reaction with oxygen and CO were studied by XPS and SEM. For the samples with a Pd thickness of 3 nm, a new low‐binding‐energy component appeared in the Pd 3d level upon O₂ exposure at ～200 °C and was reduced in intensity after a subsequent CO exposure at 150 and 200 °C. The change in the Ta 4f state could also be found upon oxygen and CO exposure, indicating that both Pd and the Ta‐oxide substrate participate in the chemical reactions. For the sample with a higher Pd thickness, a positive shift in the Pd 3d level due to the oxidation of Pd was observed after exposure to O₂ at a higher temperature (280 °C). A subsequent CO exposure at ～150 °C could not reduce Pd‐oxide layers, as confirmed by the unchanged Pd 3d spectra after CO treatment, i.e. Pd‐oxide was not reactive for CO oxidation. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Kinetic investigation of electronic energy transfer processes following the pulsed dye-laser generation of excited atomic barium, Ba[6s6p(P1)], in the presence of atomic strontium

The collisional behaviour of Ba[6s5d(³D_J)], 1.151 eV above the 6s²(¹S₀) electronic ground state, in the presence of atomic strontium, has been investigated in the ‘long-time domain' (ca. 100 μs–1 ms) following the pulsed dye-laser excitation of barium vapour at elevated temperature at λ = 553.5 nm (Ba[6s6p(¹P₁)] ← Ba[6s²(¹S₀)]. Ba(³D_J) is subsequently produced from the short-lived ¹P₁ state (τ_e = 8.37 ± 0.38 ns) by a number of radiative and collisional processes. It may then be monitored in the ‘long-time domain' by atomic spectroscopic marker methods involving either collisional activation of Ba(³D_J) by Ba(¹S₀) and He buffer gas to yield Ba[6s6p(³P_J)] with subsequent emission from the ³P₁ state (τ_e = 1.2 ± 0.1 μs): Ba[6s6p(³P₁)] → Ba[6s²(¹S₀)] + hv (λ = 791.1 nm). Alternatively, emission from Ba(¹P₁) may be monitored at long times following the generation of this short-lived state by energy pooling following self-annihilation of Ba(³D_J) + Ba(³D_J) from Ba[6s6p(¹P₁)] → Ba[6s²(¹S₀)] + hv (λ = 553.5 nm). The generation of Ba(³D_J) in the presence of atomic strontium yields emission in the long-time domain from Sr[5s5p(³P₁)] (τ_e = 19.6 μs): Sr[5s5p(³P₁)] → Sr[5s²(¹S₀)]  + hv (λ = 689.3 nm). Whilst the decay profiles at short times are complex in form, at long times all these atomic profiles show first-order kinetic removal with the decay coefficients for λ = 791.1 nm, 689.3 nm and 553.5 nm emissions in the ratio 1 : 2 : 2, consistent with overall third-order activation of the form: Ba(³D_J) + Ba(³D_J) + Sr(¹S₀) → Sr(³P_J) + 2Ba(¹S₀). The mechanism is modelled in detail, including measurement of integrated emission intensities, yielding kinetic data for fundamental collisional processes. The overall rate constant for the third-order collisional activation of Sr[5s5p(³P_J])from 2Ba[6s5d(³D_J)] + Sr[5s²(¹S₀)] takes the upper limit of 5.8 × 10⁻²⁷ cm⁶ atom⁻² s⁻¹ (T = 900 K). The rate constant for the two body collisional quenching of Ba[6s5d(³D_J)] by ground state atomic strontium, Sr[5s²(¹S₀)], is found to be (2.0 ± 0.1) × 10⁻¹² cm³ atom⁻¹ s⁻¹ (T = 900 K).