Charge recombination in organic photovoltaic devices with high open-circuit voltages

A detailed charge recombination mechanism is presented for organic photovoltaic devices with a high open-circuit voltage. In a binary blend comprised of polyfluorene copolymers, the performance-limiting process is found to be the efficient recombination of tightly bound charge pairs into neutral triplet excitons. We arrive at this conclusion using optical transient absorption (TA) spectroscopy with visible and IR probes and over seven decades of time resolution. By resolving the polarization of the TA signal, we track the movement of polaronic states generated at the heterojunction not only in time but also in space. It is found that the photogenerated charge pairs are remarkably immobile at the heterojunction during their lifetime. The charge pairs are shown to be subject to efficient intersystem crossing and terminally recombine into F8BT triplet excitons within approximately 40 ns. Long-range charge separation competes rather unfavorably with intersystem crossing--75% of all charge pairs decay into triplet excitons. Triplet exciton states are thermodynamically accessible in polymer solar cells with high open circuit voltage, and we therefore suggest this loss mechanism to be general. We discuss guidelines for the design of the next generation of organic photovoltaic materials where separating the metastable interfacial charge pairs within approximately 40 ns is paramount.     

Chiral aromaticities. AIM and ELF critical point and NICS magnetic analyses of Mobius-type aromaticity and homoaromaticity in lemniscular annulenes and hexaphyrins

An atoms-in-molecules (AIM) and electron localization function (ELF) critical point analysis is reported for two types of lemniscular system, each of which exhibits double-half-twist Mobius topology. This reveals that this type of conformation for [14]annulene 1 has, in addition to the obvious bond critical points (BCPs), two weaker transannular points in the central cross-over region. These can be interpreted in terms of local rings showing single-half-twist Mobius homoaromaticity in addition to the double-half-twist aromaticity revealed by the annulene as a whole. Another example of a single-half-twist Mobius homoaromatic 9 is suggested here to show aromatic properties as strong as its nonhomoaromatic analogue 8. The AIM critical points in 1 are relatively insensitive to the ring size (varied from 12 to 16), and only small changes are seen in the critical point properties when the pi-electron count is incremented from 4n+2 to 4n by dianion formation. These results are discussed in terms of the reported transformation of the 14-pi-electron octalene 10 by reduction/alkylation into 12, an isomer of 1. Another class of molecule that exhibits lemniscular topology is the phyrins. A transannular BCP in the central cross-over region for the double-half-twist aromatic [26]hexaphyrin 3 is revealed, which is not present for the double-half-twist antiaromatic [28]hexaphyrin 2. The NICS(rcp) for the former indicates strong Mobius homoaromaticity.     

Azolium-linked cyclophanes: effects of structure, solvent, and counteranions on solution conformation behavior

This paper describes the synthesis, structural characterization, and solution behavior of some xylyl-linked imidazolium and benzimidazolium cyclophanes decorated with alkyl or alkoxy groups. The addition of alkyl/alkoxy chains to the cyclophanes allows for studies in chlorinated solvents, whereas previous solution studies of azolium cyclophanes have generally required highly polar solvents. The azolium cyclophanes may exist in a syn/syn conformation (azolium rings mutually syn, arene rings mutually syn) or a syn/anti conformation (azolium rings mutually syn, arene rings mutually anti). The preferred conformation is significantly affected by (i) binding of bromide (ion pairing) to the protons on the imidazolium or benzimidazolium rings, which occurs in solutions of bromide salts of the cyclophanes in chlorinated solvents, and (ii) the addition of alkoxy groups to the benzimidazolium cyclophanes. These structural modifications have also led to cyclophanes that adopt conformations not previously identified for similar azolium cyclophane analogues. Detailed (1)H NMR studies for one cyclophane identified binding of bromide at two independent sites within the cyclophane.     

Ethynylation of Cysteine Residues: From Peptides to Proteins in Vitro and in Living Cells

Current approaches to introduce terminal alkynes for bioorthogonal reactions into biomolecules still present limitations in terms of either reactivity, selectivity, or adduct stability. We present a method for the ethynylation of cysteine residues based on the use of ethynylbenziodoxolone (EBX) reagents. The acetylene group is directly introduced onto the thiol group of cysteine and can be used for copper‐catalyzed alkyne‐azide cycloaddition (CuAAC) without further processing. Labeling proceeded with reaction rates comparable to or higher than the most often used iodoacetamide on peptides or maleimide on the antibody trastuzumab, and high cysteine selectivity was observed. The reagents were also used in living cells for cysteine proteomic profiling and displayed improved coverage of the cysteinome compared to previously reported iodoacetamide or hypervalent iodine reagents. Fine‐tuning of the EBX reagents allows optimization of their reactivity and physical properties.     

Quantitative Assessment of Tip Effects in Single‐Molecule High‐Speed Atomic Force Microscopy Using DNA Origami Substrates

High‐speed atomic force microscopy (HS‐AFM) is widely employed in the investigation of dynamic biomolecular processes at a single‐molecule level. However, it remains an open and somewhat controversial question, how these processes are affected by the rapidly scanned AFM tip. While tip effects are commonly believed to be of minor importance in strongly binding systems, weaker interactions may significantly be disturbed. Herein, we quantitatively assess the role of tip effects in a strongly binding system using a DNA origami‐based single‐molecule assay. Despite its femtomolar dissociation constant, we find that HS‐AFM imaging can disrupt monodentate binding of streptavidin (SAv) to biotin (Bt) even under gentle scanning conditions. To a lesser extent, this is also observed for the much stronger bidentate SAv–Bt complex. The presented DNA origami‐based assay can be universally employed to quantify tip effects in strongly and weakly binding systems and to optimize the experimental settings for their reliable HS‐AFM imaging.     

Lanthanide chloride complexes of amine-bis(phenolate) ligands and their reactivity in the ring-opening polymerization of epsilon-caprolactone

Reaction of two equivalents of n-BuLi with sterically demanding amine-bis(phenol) compounds, H(2)O(2)NN'(R) (Me(2)NCH(2)CH(2)N{CH(2)-3,5-R(2)-C(6)H(2)OH}(2); R = t-Bu or t-Pe (tert-pentyl)) yields isolable lithium complexes, Li(2)(O(2)NN'(R)), in good yields. Upon reaction with one equivalent of LnCl(3)(THF)(x), the lithium salts afford rare earth amine-phenolate chloride complexes in good yields, Ln(O(2)NN'(R))Cl(THF); Ln = Y, Yb, Ho, Gd, Sm, Pr. Crystals of Y(O(2)NN'(t-Bu))Cl(THF), 1, and Sm(O(2)NN'(t-Bu))Cl(DME), 2, suitable for single crystal X-ray crystallographic analysis were obtained. In contrast to previously reported [{Gd(O(2)NN'(t-Pe))(THF)(micro-Cl)}(2)] and related La and Sm complexes, these species are monomeric. 1 contains Y in a distorted octahedral environment bonded to two amine, two phenolate, one THF and one chloride donor. 2 contains Sm in a distorted capped trigonal prismatic environment bonded to two amine, two phenolate, two DME oxygens and one chloride donor. The Ln(O(2)NN'(t-Pe))Cl(THF) complexes were active initators for the controlled ring-opening polymerization of epsilon-caprolactone with a tendency to form low molecular weight cyclic polyesters (M(n) 3000-5000). The conversion rates, although slower than related amido and alkyl species, were different for monomeric and dimeric initiators. The size of the metal centre also affected the conversions and the molecular weights achieved.     

Switching the Switch: Ligand Induced Disulfide Formation in HDAC8

Human histone deacetylase 8 is a well-recognized target for T-cell lymphoma and particularly childhood neuroblastoma. PD-404,182 was shown to be a selective covalent inhibitor of HDAC8 that forms mixed disulfides with several cysteine residues and is also able to transform thiol groups to thiocyanates. Moreover, HDAC8 was shown to be regulated by a redox switch based on the reversible formation of a disulfide bond between cysteines Cys₁₀₂ and Cys₁₅₃. This study on the distinct effects of PD-404,182 on HDAC8 reveals that this compound induces the dose-dependent formation of intramolecular disulfide bridges. Therefore, the inhibition mechanism of HDAC8 by PD-404,182 involves both, covalent modification of thiols as well as ligand mediated disulfide formation. Moreover, this study provides a deep molecular insight into the regulation mechanism of HDAC8 involving several cysteines with graduated capability to form reversible disulfide bridges.