STUDIES ON THYMINE AND URACIL TRIPLET EXCITED STATE IN ACETONITRILE AND WATER

Abstract— Thymine and uracil triplet-triplet absorption spectra and triplet excited state lifetimes have been observed in acetonitrile and water by nanosecond laser flash spectroscopy. A study of triplet energy transfer from these pyrimidines to retino! has also allowed an estimation of the triplet extinction coefficient ε_TT of thymine and uracil. These ε_TT were then used to determine the triplet quantum yields Ø_T of both pyrimidines in acetonitrile and water.     

Photosensitive decomposition of organic solvents at 77 degrees K by an aromatic amine, diphenylparaphenylenediamine

Abstract— –By e.s.r. we have studied the photoexcitation of an aromatic amine to its triplet state at 77°K, its photoionization to a radical cation and the simultaneous formation of solvent radicals proceeding from the photosensitization of the organic glassy matrix. In the case of methanol and ethanol matrix we observe approximately one solvent radical per solute radical cation. In the case of isopropanol and methyltetrahydrofuran we find respectively three and two solvent radicals per solute radical cation. The results suggest two possible processes of photosensitization. By successive absorption of two photons, the amine reaches an excited triplet state which is able either to dissociate giving one electron and one cation radical or to transfer its energy to the solvent, this last being decomposed. It is assumed that in the case of methanol and ethanol, the radicals from the solvent are only formed by reaction on the matrix by the released electron, whereas in the case of isopropanol and methyltetrahydrofuran, the second process is prevalent or exclusive.     

Benzophenone photoreduction by heteroatom-containing donors

Nanosecond flash photolysis has been carried out on benzophenone solutions in benzene and acetonitrile in presence of oxygen- and sulfur-containing reductants such as anisole, thioanisole, dibutyl sulfide and methyl 2-octyl ether. The quantum yield of ketyl formation is compared to previous results on the quantum yields of the final benzophenone disappearance. This comparison is also related to previous data on benzophenone reduction by nitrogen-containing reductants such as amines and amides and suggests a general mechanism for benzophenone photoreduction by heteroatom-containing donors.     

WAVELENGTH DEPENDENCE OF THE INTERSYSTEM CROSSING EFFICIENCY FOR RETINAL ISOMERS

Abstract— The quantum efficiencies of intersystem crossing (_ISC) fur four isomers of retinal, the all- trans , 9- cis , 11- cis and 13- cis , have been measured using both 265 nm and 353 nm excitation. The values for the all- trans and 9- cis isomers are independent of the excitation wavelength but the values for the 11- cis and 13- cis isomers show a marked increase in the efficiency of ISC for 353 nm excitation compared with the 265 nm excitation.     

INVOLVEMENT OF SINGLET OXYGEN IN THE PHOTOTOXICITY MECHANISM FOR A METABOLITE OF PIROXICAM

It has been previously shown that a metabolite of piroxicam but not piroxicam itself causes phototoxicity to cells in vitro after exposure to UVA (320–400 nm) radiation. The phototoxicity mechanism for this metabolite, 2-methyl-4-oxo-2H-l,2-benzothiazine-l,l-dioxide (Compound I), was investigated. In vitro phototoxicity to human mononuclear cells was assayed using 0.5 m M Compound I and UVA radiation. The UVA fluence required for phototoxicity of Compound I was lower by a factor of 2-3 in D₂O buffer compared to H₂O buffer. Superoxide dismutase and mannitol, which remove O₂^- and OH", respectively, do not decrease the phototoxicity. The photodecomposition of Compound I was inhibited by sodium azide, enhanced by human serum albumin and unaffected by mannitol. Stable photoproducts of Compound I were not toxic to the cells. The quantum yield of singlet oxygen based on its emission at 1270 nm was 0.19 and 0.35 for Compound I and s2 ± 10^-3 and 10^-2 for piroxicam in D₂O and C₆H₆, respectively. While the extremely low quantum yield for singlet oxygen from piroxicam appears to account for its lack of phototoxicity, the phototoxicity mechanism for its metabolite, Compound I, most likely does involve singlet oxygen.     

SOME PHOTOPHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF 3-CARBETHOXYPSORALEN, 8-METHOXYPSORALEN and 5-METHOXYPSORALEN TRIPLET STATES

Abstract Triplet absorption spectra, extinction coefficients (ɛ_T), decay rates ( K ₁), oxygen quenching rates (k_q) and intersystem crossing yields (φ_T) for 3-carbethoxypsoralen (3-CPs). 8-methoxypsoralcn (8-MOP) and 5-methoxypsoralen (5-MOP) in methanol are reported. For 8-MOP and 3-CPs corresponding values are also reported with water as the solvent. Some photophysical data are also reported for 5-MOP in water, but ɛ_T and φ_T were not obtained.
The phosphorescence spectra for these furocoumarin derivatives in ethanol at 77 K are reported together with the corresponding lowest triplet energy and lifetime. The values of the various photophysical properties obtained are compared with values reported by previous workers.     

Determination of triplet quantum yields by laser flash absorption spectroscopy

A general method based on a relative actinometry using the laser flash spectroscopy technique has been developed for the determination of the quantum yield of triplet state formation φ,_T. φ,_T values for 17 aromatic compounds in cyclohexane or benzene at room temperature have been obtained in good agreement with previous measurements. Triplet-triplet extinction coefficients necessary for the φ,_T calculations and determined via energy transfer are also reported. Conditions of application and limitations of this method are outlined.     

SOME PROPERTIES OF THE TRIPLET EXCITED STATE OF THE PHOTOSENSITIZING FUROCOUMARIN: 3-CARBETHOXYPSORALEN

Abstract— 3-Carbethoxypsoralen (3-CPs) has been tested in the photochemotherapy of psoriasis. It only forms monoadducts with DNA and is being considered as a non-carcinogenic alternative to 8-MOP which itself forms DNA crosslinks that arc difficult to repair. Using laser flash photolysis or pulse radiolysis, the triplet state of 3-CPs, a possible intermediate in photosensitization, has been generated in several solvents: ethanol, water and benzene. The triplet lifetime, extinction coefficient and quantum efficiency of formation have been measured. Triplet reactivities towards (i) the solvents used, (ii) 3-CPs, (iii) oxygen, (iv) tryptophan and (v) tyrosine, leading, respectively, to photoadditions with water, ethanol and 3-CPs, to ¹O₂, semioxidized tryptophan and semioxidized tyrosine, (vi) thymine and (vii) uracil have been investigated. The dark binding of 3-CPs to DNA has been studied by comparing the reactivity of e_aq^- with free 3-CPs, free DNA and the 3-CPs DNA complex. Some photophysical and photochemical properties of 4',5'di-hydro-3-carbethoxypsoralen(DH–3-CPs), model of the main fluorescent photo-product of 3-CPs, have also been investigated. Biological consequences of the photochemical properties of 3-CPs andDH–3-CPs have been studied in a cellular system (haploid yeast).     

Spherically symmetric inhomogeneous dust collapse in higher dimensional space-time and cosmic censorship hypothesis

We consider a collapsing spherically symmetric inhomogeneous dust cloud in higher dimensional space-time. We show that the central singularity of collapse can be a strong curvature or a weak curvature naked singularity depending on the initial density distribution.     

Monomeric azaheterofullerene derivatives RC59N: influence of the R moiety on spectroscopic and photophysical properties

We have synthesised nine monomeric azaheterofullerene (AZA) derivatives, RC(59)N, with a wide variety of different side chains R and investigated their spectroscopic and photophysical properties in toluene and o-dichlorobenzene (ODCB). Measurements include their ground-state absorption spectra, molar absorption coefficient (epsilon(G)), fluorescence spectra, fluorescence quantum yields (Phi(F)), singlet-state lifetimes (tau(F)), triplet-state absorption spectra, triplet molar absorption coefficients (epsilon(T)), singlet oxygen (Phi(Delta)), and triplet state (Phi(T)) quantum yields. The replacement of a carbon by a nitrogen atom in the C(60) sphere strongly affects most of the spectroscopic and photophysical properties. The chemical nature of the R moiety has definite effects on these properties in contrast with minor effects on the chemical nature of the addends in [6,6]-ring bridged monoadduct methano[60]fullerene derivatives. These effects concern properties of the ground state, singlet excited state, and triplet states of our nine RC(59)N derivatives and in particular the values of photophysical parameters epsilon(G), epsilon(T), Phi(Delta), and Phi(T), which are significantly lower than those of analogous monoadduct [6,6]-ring bridged methano[60]fullerene derivatives.