Combined Two‐Photon Excitation and d→f Energy Transfer in a Water‐Soluble IrIII/EuIII Dyad: Two Luminescence Components from One Molecule for Cellular Imaging

The first example of cell imaging using two independent emission components from a dinuclear d/f complex is reported. A water‐stable, cell‐permeable Ir^III/Eu^III dyad undergoes partial Ir→Eu energy transfer following two‐photon excitation of the Ir unit at 780 nm. Excitation in the near‐IR region generated simultaneously green Ir‐based emission and red Eu‐based emission from the same probe. The orders‐of‐magnitude difference in their timescales (Ir ca. μs; Eu ca. 0.5 ms) allowed them to be identified by time‐gated detection. Phosphorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (PLIM) allowed the lifetime of the Ir‐based emission to be measured in different parts of the cell. At the same time, the cells are simultaneously imaged by using the Eu‐based emission component at longer timescales. This new approach to cellular imaging by using dual d/f emitters should therefore enable autofluorescence‐free sensing of two different analytes, independently, simultaneously and in the same regions of a cell.     

Energy Transfer in Aminonaphthalimide‐Boron‐Dipyrromethene (BODIPY) Dyads upon One‐ and Two‐Photon Excitation: Applications for Cellular Imaging

Aminonaphthalimide–BODIPY energy transfer cassettes were found to show very fast (k_EET≈10¹⁰–10¹¹ s^?1) and efficient BODIPY fluorescence sensitization. This was observed upon one‐ and two‐photon excitation, which extends the application range of the investigated bichromophoric dyads in terms of accessible excitation wavelengths. In comparison with the direct excitation of the BODIPY chromophore, the two‐photon absorption cross‐section δ of the dyads is significantly incremented by the presence of the aminonaphthalimide donor [δ≈10 GM for the BODIPY versus 19–26 GM in the dyad at λ_exc=840 nm; 1 GM (Goeppert–Mayer unit)=10^?50 cm⁴ s molecule^?1 photon^?1]. The electronic decoupling of the donor and acceptor, which is a precondition for the energy transfer cassette concept, was demonstrated by time‐dependent density functional theory calculations. The applicability of the new probes in the one‐ and two‐photon excitation mode was demonstrated in a proof‐of‐principle approach in the fluorescence imaging of HeLa cells. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of the merging of multiphoton excitation with the energy transfer cassette concept for a BODIPY‐containing dyad.     

Water‐Soluble Triarylborane Chromophores for One‐ and Two‐Photon Excited Fluorescence Imaging of Mitochondria in Cells

Three water‐soluble tetracationic quadrupolar chromophores comprising two three‐coordinate boron π‐acceptor groups bridged by thiophene‐containing moieties were synthesised for biological imaging applications. Compound 3 containing the bulkier 5‐(3,5‐Me₂C₆H₂)‐2,2′‐(C₄H₂S)₂‐5′‐(3,5‐Me₂C₆H₂) bridge is stable over a long period of time, exhibits a high fluorescence quantum yield and strong one‐ and two‐photon absorption (TPA), and has a TPA cross section of 268 GM at 800 nm in water. Confocal laser scanning fluorescence microscopy studies in live cells indicated localisation of the chromophore at the mitochondria; moreover, cytotoxicity measurements proved biocompatibility. Thus, chromophore 3 has excellent potential for one‐ and two‐photon‐excited fluorescence imaging of mitochondrial function in cells.     

Dependence of the Lifetime upon the Excitation Energy and Intramolecular Energy Transfer Rates: The 5D0 EuIII Emission Case

In many Eu^III‐based materials, the presence of an intermediate energy level, such as ligand‐to‐metal charge transfer (LMCT) states or defects, that mediates the energy transfer mechanisms can strongly affect the lifetime of the ⁵D₀ state, mainly at near‐resonance (large transfer rates). We present results for the dependence of the ⁵D₀ lifetime on the excitation wavelength for a wide class of Eu^III‐based compounds: ionic salts, polyoxometalates (POMs), core/shell inorganic nanoparticles (NPs) and nanotubes, coordination polymers, β‐diketonate complexes, organic–inorganic hybrids, macro‐mesocellular foams, functionalized mesoporous silica, and layered double hydroxides (LDHs). This yet unexplained behavior is successfully modelled by a coupled set of rate equations with seven states, in which the wavelength dependence is simulated by varying the intramolecular energy transfer rates. In addition, the simulations of the rate equations for four‐ and three‐level systems show a strong dependence of the emission lifetime upon the excitation wavelength if near‐resonant non‐radiative energy transfer processes are present, indicating that the proposed scheme can be generalized to other trivalent lanthanide ions, as observed for Tb^III/Ce^III. Finally, the proper use of lifetime definition in the presence of energy transfer is emphasized.     

Highly Efficient,Conjugated‐Polymer‐Based Nano‐Photosensitizers for Selectively Targeted Two‐Photon Photodynamic Therapy and Imaging of Cancer Cells

Two‐photon photodynamic therapy (2P‐PDT) is a promising noninvasive treatment of cancers and other diseases with three‐dimensional selectivity and deep penetration. However, clinical applications of 2P‐PDT are limited by small two‐photon absorption (TPA) cross sections of traditional photosensitizers. The development of folate receptor targeted nano‐photosensitizers based on conjugated polymers is described. In these nano‐photosensitizers, poly{9,9‐bis[6′′‐(bromohexyl)fluorene‐2,7‐ylenevinylene]‐co‐alt‐1,4‐(2,5‐dicyanophenylene)}, which is a conjugated polymer with a large TPA cross section, acts as a two‐photon light‐harvesting material to significantly enhance the two‐photon properties of the doped photosensitizer tetraphenylporphyrin (TPP) through energy transfer. These nanoparticles displayed up to 1020‐fold enhancement in two‐photon excitation emission and about 870‐fold enhancement in the two‐photon‐induced singlet oxygen generation capability of TPP. Surface‐functionalized folic acid groups make these nanoparticles highly selective in targeting and killing KB cancer cells over NIH/3T3 normal cells. The 2P‐PDT activity of these nanoparticles was significantly improved, potentially up to about 1000 times, as implied by the enhancement factors of two‐photon excitation emission and singlet oxygen generation. These nanoparticles could act as novel two‐photon nano‐photosensitizers with combined advantages of low dark cytotoxicity, targeted 2P‐PDT with high selectivity, and simultaneous two‐photon fluorescence imaging capability; these are all required for ideal two‐photon photosensitizers.     

Iridium(III) Anthraquinone Complexes as Two‐Photon Phosphorescence Probes for Mitochondria Imaging and Tracking under Hypoxia

In the present study, four mitochondria‐specific and two‐photon phosphorescence iridium(III) complexes, Ir1 – Ir4 , were developed for mitochondria imaging in hypoxic tumor cells. The iridium(III) complex has two anthraquinone groups that are hypoxia‐sensitive moieties. The phosphorescence of the iridium(III) complex was quenched by the functions of the intramolecular quinone unit, and it was restored through two‐electron bioreduction under hypoxia. When the probes were reduced by reductase to hydroquinone derivative products under hypoxia, a significant enhancement in phosphorescence intensity was observed under one‐ (λ=405 nm) and two‐photon (λ=720 nm) excitation, with a two‐photon absorption cross section of 76–153 GM at λ=720 nm. More importantly, these probes possessed excellent specificity for mitochondria, which allowed imaging and tracking of the mitochondrial morphological changes in a hypoxic environment over a long period of time. Moreover, the probes can visualize hypoxic mitochondria in 3D multicellular spheroids and living zebrafish through two‐photon phosphorescence imaging.     

Two‐Photon Photochromism of a Diarylethene Enhanced by Förster Resonance Energy Transfer from Two‐Photon Absorbing Fluorenes

Resonance energy transfer from two-photon absorbing fluorene derivatives to the photochromic compound 3,4-bis-(2,4,5-trimethyl-thiophen-3-yl)furan-2,5-dione (PC 1) is investigated in hexane under one- and two-photon excitation. The quenching of the steady-state fluorescence of donor molecules in the presence of the diarylethene acceptor is used to study the nature of resonance energy transfer. The F?rster distances and critical acceptor concentrations are determined for nonbound donor-acceptor pairs in homogeneous molecular ensembles. Quite significantly, up to a two-fold enhancement in the velocity of the photochromic transformation of 1, in the presence of two-photon absorbing fluorene derivatives, is demonstrated.     

Definition of an Intramolecular Eu‐to‐Eu Energy Transfer within a Discrete [Eu2L] Complex in Solution

Ligand L, based on two do3a moieties linked by the methylene groups of 6,6′‐dimethyl‐2,2′‐bipyridine, was synthesized and characterized. The addition of Ln salts to an aqueous solution of L (0.01 M Tris‐HCl, pH 7.4) led to the successive formation of [LnL] and [Ln₂L] complexes, as evidenced by UV/Vis and fluorescence titration experiments. Homodinuclear [Ln₂L] complexes (Ln=Eu, Gd, Tb, Yb, and Lu) were prepared and characterized. The ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectra of the Lu and Yb complexes in D₂O solution (pD=7.0) showed C₁ symmetry of these species in solution, pointing to two different chemical environments for the two lanthanide cations. The analysis of the chemical shifts of the Yb complex indicated that the two coordination sites present square antiprismatic (SAP) coordination environments around the metal ions. The spectroscopic properties of the [Tb₂L] complex upon ligand excitation revealed conventional behavior with τ_H2O=2.05(1) ms and ?_H2O=51 %, except for the calculation of the hydration number obtained from the luminescent lifetimes in H₂O and D₂O, which pointed to a non‐integer value of 0.6 water molecules per Tb^III ion. In contrast, the Eu complex revealed surprising features such as: 1) the presence of two and up to five components in the ⁵D₀→⁷F₀ and ⁵D₀→⁷F₁ emission bands, respectively; 2) marked differences between the normalized spectra obtained in H₂O and D₂O solutions; and 3) unconventional temporal evolution of the luminescence intensity at certain wavelengths, the intensity profile first displaying a rising step before the occurrence of the expected decay. Additional spectroscopic experiments performed on [Gd_2?xEu_xL] complexes (x=0.1 and 1.9) confirmed the presence of two distinct Eu sites with hydration numbers of 0 (site I) and 2 (site II), and showed that the unconventional temporal evolution of the emission intensity is the result of an unprecedented intramolecular Eu‐to‐Eu energy‐transfer process. A mathematical model was developed to interpret the experimental data, leading to energy‐transfer rates of 0.98 ms^?1 for the transfer from the site with q=0 to that with q=2 and vice versa. Hartree–Fock (HF) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations performed at the B3LYP level were used to investigate the conformation of the complex in solution, and to estimate the intermetallic distance, which provided Förster radii (R₀) values of 8.1 Å for the energy transfer from site I to site II, and 6.8 Å for the reverse energy transfer. These results represent the first evidence of an intramolecular energy‐transfer equilibrium between two identical lanthanide cations within a discrete molecular complex in solution.     

Comparison of the Electrochemical and Luminescence Properties of Two Carbazole‐Based Phosphine Oxide EuIII Complexes: Effect of Different Bipolar Ligand Structures

The photoluminescence (PL), electrochemical, and electroluminescence (EL) properties of Eu^III complexes, [Eu(cppo)₂(tta)₃] ( 1 ) and [Eu(cpo)₂(tta)₃] ( 2 ; TTA=2‐thenoyltrifluoroacetonate) with two carbazole‐based phosphine oxide ligands, 9‐[4‐(diphenylphosphinoyl)phenyl]‐9H‐carbazole (CPPO) and 9‐(diphenylphosphoryl)‐9H‐carbazole (CPO), which have different bipolar structures, donor–π‐spacer–acceptor (D–π–A) or donor–acceptor (D–A) systems respectively, are investigated. The CPPO with D–π–A architecture has improved PL properties, such as higher PL efficiency and more efficient intramolecular energy transfer, than CPO with the D–A architecture. Gaussian simulation proved the bipolar structures and the double‐carrier injection ability of the ligands. The carrier injection abilities of triphenylphosphine oxide, CPO, and CPPO are gradually improved. Notably, the Gaussian and electrochemical investigations indicate that before and after coordination, the carrier injection ability of the ligands show remarkable changes because of the particularity of the D‐π–A and D–A systems. The electrochemical studies demonstrate that coordination induces the electron cloud to migrate from electron‐rich carbazole to electron‐poor diphenylphosphine oxide, and consequently increases the electron‐cloud density on diphenylphosphine oxide, which weakens its ability for electron affinity and induces the elevation of LUMO energy levels of the complexes. Significantly, the π‐spacer in the D–π–A system exhibits a distinct buffer effect on the variation of the electron‐cloud density distribution of the ligand, which is absent in the D–A system. It is demonstrated that the adaptability of the D–π–A systems, especially for coordination, is stronger than that of D–A systems, which facilitates the modification of the complexes by designing multifunctional ligands purposefully. 1 seems favorable as the most efficient electroluminescent Eu^III complex with greater brightness, higher efficiencies, and more stable EL spectra than 2 . These investigations demonstrate that the phosphine oxide ligands with D–π–A architecture are more appropriate than those with D–A architecture to achieve multifunctional electroluminescent Eu^III complexes.     

Luminescence Resonance Energy Transfer in a Multiple‐Component,Self‐Assembled Supramolecular Hydrogel

Cascade energy transfer from a sensitizer to Tb^III then to fluorescent dyes was studied for the first time in a supramolecular hydrogel. Efficient energy transfer from Tb^III to the dyes was observed, as established by time‐delayed emission and excitation spectral analysis, lifetime data, and microscopic studies.     

Aptamer‐Based Luminescence Energy Transfer from Near‐Infrared‐to‐Near‐Infrared Upconverting Nanoparticles to Gold Nanorods and Its Application for the Detection of Thrombin

A new luminescence energy transfer (LET) system has been designed for the detection of thrombin in the near‐infrared (NIR) region by utilizing NIR‐to‐NIR upconversion lanthanide nanophosphors (UCNPs) as the donor and gold nanorods (Au NRs) as the acceptor. The use of upconverting NaYF₄:Yb³⁺,Tm³⁺ nanoparticles with sharp NIR emission peaks upon NIR excitation by an inexpensive infrared continuous wave laser diode provided large spectral overlap between the donor and the acceptor. Both the Au NRs and carboxyl‐terminated NaYF₄:Yb³⁺,Tm³⁺ UCNPs were first modified with different thrombin aptamers. When thrombin was added, a LET system was then formed because of the specific recognition between the thrombin aptamers and thrombin. The LET system was used to monitor thrombin concentrations in aqueous buffer and human blood samples. The limits of detection for thrombin are as low as 0.118 nM in buffer solution and 0.129 nM in human serum. The method was also successfully applied to thrombin detection in blood samples.     

Polynuclear SmIII Polyamidoamine‐Based Dendrimer: A Single Probe for Combined Visible and Near‐Infrared Live‐Cell Imaging

We report herein the synthesis of a luminescent polynuclear dendritic structure (Sm^III‐G3P‐2,3Nap) in which eight Sm^III ions are sensitized by thirty‐two 2,3‐naphthalimide chromophores. Upon a single excitation wavelength, the dendrimer complex exhibits two types of emission in the visible and in the near‐infrared (NIR) ranges. Sm^III‐G3P‐2,3Nap was non‐cytotoxic after 24 h of incubation and up to 2.5 μM . The ability of the Sm^III‐based probe to be taken up by cells was confirmed by confocal microscopy. Epifluorescence microscopy validated Sm^III‐G3P‐2,3Nap as a versatile probe, capable of performing interchangeably in the visible or NIR for live‐cell imaging. As both emissions are obtained from a single complex, the cytotoxicity and biodistribution are inherently the same. The possibility for discriminating the sharp Sm^III signals from autofluorescence in two spectral ranges increases the reliability of analysis and reduces the probability of artifacts and instrumental errors.     

Energy Transfer at the Single‐Molecule Level: Synthesis of a Donor–Acceptor Dyad from Perylene and Terrylene Diimides

In 2004, we reported single‐pair fluorescence resonance energy transfer (spFRET), based on a perylene diimide (PDI) and terrylene diimide (TDI) dyad ( 1 ) that was bridged by a rigid substituted para‐terphenyl spacer. Since then, several further single‐molecule‐level investigations on this specific compound have been performed. Herein, we focus on the synthesis of this dyad and the different approaches that can be employed. An optimized reaction pathway was chosen, considering the solubilities, reactivities, and accessibilities of the building blocks for each individual reaction whilst still using established synthetic techniques, including imidization, Suzuki coupling, and cyclization reactions. The key differentiating consideration in this approach to the synthesis of dyad 1 is the introduction of functional groups in a nonsymmetrical manner onto either the perylene diimide or the terrylene diimide by using imidization reactions. Combined with well‐defined purification conditions, this modified approach allows dyad 1 to be obtained in reasonable quantities in good yield.     

Highly Efficient Visible‐to‐NIR Luminescence of Lanthanide(III) Complexes with Zwitterionic Ligands Bearing Charge‐Transfer Character: Beyond Triplet Sensitization

Two zwitterionic‐type ligands featuring π–π* and intraligand charge‐transfer (ILCT) excited states, namely 1,1′‐(2,3,5,6‐tetramethyl‐1,4‐phenylene)bis(methylene)dipyridinium‐4‐olate (TMPBPO) and 1‐dodecylpyridin‐4(1 H)‐one (DOPO), have been prepared and applied to the assembly of lanthanide coordination complexes in an effort to understand the ligand‐direction effect on the structure of the Ln complexes and the ligand sensitization effect on the luminescence of the Ln complexes. Due to the wide‐band triplet states plus additional ILCT excitation states extending into lower energy levels, broadly and strongly sensitized photoluminescence of f→f transitions from various Ln³⁺ ions were observed to cover the visible to near‐infrared (NIR) regions. Among which, the Pr, Sm, Dy, and Tm complexes simultaneously display both strong visible and NIR emissions. Based on the isostructural feature of the Ln complexes, color tuning and single‐component white light was achieved by preparation of solid solutions of the ternary systems Gd‐Eu‐Tb (for TMPBPO) and La‐Eu‐Tb and La‐Dy‐Sm (for DOPO). Moreover, the visible and NIR luminescence lifetimes of the Ln complexes with the TMPBPO ligand were investigated from 77 to 298 K, revealing a strong temperature dependence of the Tm³⁺ (³H₄) and Yb³⁺ (²F_5/2) decay dynamics, which has not been explored before for their coordination complexes.     

A Light‐Harvesting Antenna Resulting from the Self‐Assembly of Five Luminescent Components: A Dendrimer,Two Clips,and Two Lanthanide Ions

We have investigated the self‐assembly of three luminescent species in CH₃CN/CH₂Cl₂, namely: 1) a polylysin dendrimer ( D ) composed of 21 aliphatic amide units and 24 green luminescent dansyl chromophores at the periphery, 2) a molecular clip ( C ) with two blue luminescent anthracene sidewalls and a benzene bridging unit that bears two sulfate groups in the para position, and 3) a near infrared (NIR)‐emitting Nd³⁺ ion. For purposes of comparison, analogous systems have also been investigated in which Gd³⁺ replaced Nd³⁺. The dendrimer and the clip can bind Nd³⁺ ions with formation of [ D? 2 Nd³⁺] and [ C? Nd³⁺] complexes, in which energy transfer from dansyl and, respectively, anthracene to Nd³⁺ ion takes place with 65 and 8 % efficiency, in air‐equilibrated solution. In the case of [ C? Nd³⁺], the energy‐transfer efficiency is quenched by dioxygen, thereby showing that the energy donor is the lowest triplet excited state of anthracene. In [ D? 2 Nd³⁺] the intrinsic emission efficiency of Nd³⁺ is much higher (ca. 5 times) than in [ C? Nd³⁺] because of a better protection of the excited lanthanide ion towards nonradiative deactivation caused by interaction with solvent molecules. By mixing solutions of D , Nd³⁺, and C with proper concentrations, a supramolecular structure with five components of three different species, [ D? 2 Nd³⁺ ? 2 C ], is formed. The excitation light absorbed by the clips is transferred with 100 % efficiency to the dansyl units of the dendrimer and then to the Nd³⁺ ions with 65 % efficiency either in the presence or absence of dioxygen. These results show that the [ D? 2 Nd³⁺ ? 2 C ] complex is able to efficiently harvest UV light by the 24 dansyl units of the dendrimer and the four anthracene chromophores of the two clips, and efficiently transfer it to the encapsulated Nd³⁺ ions that emit in the NIR spectral region.