Persulphate quenching of the excited state of ruthenium(II) tris-bipyridyl dication: thermal reactions

The rate constant for the reaction between the sulphate radical (SO₄^√−) and the ruthenium (II) tris-bipyridyl dication (Ru(bipy)₃²⁺) is (3.3±0.2)×10⁹ mol⁻¹ dm³ s⁻¹ in 1 mol dm⁻³ H₂SO₄ and (4.9±0.5)×10⁹ mol⁻¹ dm³ s⁻¹ in 0.1 mol dm⁻³, pH 4.7 acetate buffer. The SO₄^√−radical produced by the electron transfer quenching of Ru(bipy)₃^2+* by S₂O₈²⁻ reacts rapidly with both acetate buffer and chloride ions. These side reactions result in a reduction in the overall quantum yield of Ru(bipy)₃³⁺ production and reduced reaction selectivity when Ru(bipy)₃^2+* is quenched by persulphate.     

Synthesis and optical properties of metal-centered dimeric fullerene macromolecules

Dimeric fullerene macromolecules were prepared via the complexation of two fullerenylated 2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine ligands with Fe(II) and Co(II) ions. The solubility of these macromolecules in some organic solvents allowed both their structural characterization and a study of their optical properties. The electronic absorption and emission of the macromolecules in solution were evaluated; and the results indicated no meaningful ground-state and excited singlet state intramolecular charge transfer interactions. However, the laser flash photolysis results could be explained in terms of the electron transfer quenching of the excited triplet methanofullerene moiety by the center metal–ligand complex in the macromolecules. The optical limiting properties of the macromolecules in solution were also investigated in comparison with those of the ligands for an evaluation of the complexation effects.     

USE OF TRIS (2,2'-BIPYRIDINE) RUTHENIUM(II) DICATION IN A NOVEL METHOD FOR THE DETERMINATION OF SINGLET OXYGEN REACTION RATES: APPLICATION TO STUDIES OF GELATIN

Abstract— A novel method for the determination of singlet oxygen reaction rate constants is described and applied to studies of cyclohexadiene in methanol and gelatins in H₂O and D₂O. The technique uses tris (2,2'-bipyridine) ruthenium(II) dication (Ru(bipy)₃₂₊) as both singlet oxygen sensitizer and in situ oxygen concentration monitor during irradiation of sealed samples. Because of the high efficiency with which the luminescence of Ru(bipy)₃2+* can be detected, and the fact that emission lifetimes are used, the method offers some advantages over those previously described. The advantages and disadvantages of the method are discussed. A rate constant of 2.1 (±0.3) x 10⁶ mol^-1 dm³ s^-1 has been determined for the reaction of ¹O₂ with cyclohexadiene in methanol. For two different photographic gelatins the sums of reaction and quenching rate constants are 2.0 (±0.4) x 10⁶ and 3.1 (±2.0) x 10⁵ mol^-1 dm³ s^-1; for swine skin gelatin this value is 3.9 (±2.4) × 10⁵ mol^-1 dm³ s^-1. Chemical reaction, rather than physical quenching, is the dominant reaction route for gelatins and ¹O₂.     

The Development of Solid Spectral Filters for the Regulation of Plant Growth

Phthalocyanine derivatives have been prepared and incorporated into polymer films for use as spectral filters for the modification of plant growth. The unusual absorption characteristics of phthalocyanines, notably the narrow absorption band in the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum, allows the selective filtering of wavelengths necessary for excitation of either of the two isomeric phytochrome species. The resulting change in the photostationary state for the phytochrome is shown to have a marked effect on the growth characteristics of both chrysanthemums and antirrhinums. Chrysanthemums (short-day plants) grown under a far-red-absorbing film showed a reduction in height (∼14%) and internodal length compared to those grown under a red-absorbing film or a control with no absorption in the visible part of the spectrum; both leaf number and time to flowering were not affected by the presence of the spectral filter. For antirrhinums (long-day plants) both a reduction in height and a substantial increase in leaf area (70%) of the plants grown under the far-red-absorbing film were observed, although flowering was delayed. The potential of these filters as replacements for chemical plant growth regulators is discussed.     

Following radical pair reactions in solution: a step change in sensitivity using cavity ring-down detection

The study of radical pair intermediates in biological systems has been hampered by the low sensitivity of the optical techniques usually employed to investigate these highly reactive species. Understanding the physical principles governing the spin-selective and magneto-sensitive yields and kinetics of their reactions is essential in identifying the mechanism governing bird migration, and might have significance in the discussion of potential health hazards of electromagnetic radiation. Here, we demonstrate the powerful capabilities of optical cavity-enhanced techniques, such as cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS) in monitoring radical recombination reactions and associated magnetic field effects (MFEs). These include submicrosecond time-resolution, high sensitivity (baseline noise on the order of 10(-6) absorbance units) and small (μL) sample volumes. Combined, we show that these represent significant advantages over the single-pass flash-photolysis techniques conventionally applied. The studies described here focus on photoinduced radical pair reactions involving the protein lysozyme and one of two possible photosensitizers: anthraquinone-2,6-disulphonate and flavin mononucleotide. CRDS-measured MFEs are observed in pump-probe experiments and discussed in terms of the sensitivity gains and sample-volume minimization afforded by CRDS when compared with flash photolysis methods. Finally, CRDS is applied to an in vitro MFE study of intramolecular electron transfer in the DNA-repair enzyme, Escherichia coli photolyase, a protein closely related to cryptochrome which has been proposed to mediate animal magnetoreception.     

Quenching Mechanisms and Diffusional Pathways in Micellar Systems Unravelled by Time‐Resolved Magnetic‐Field Effects

Radical observation : Time‐resolved magnetic‐field effects yield a very detailed picture of electron‐transfer quenching in micelles and of the fate of the resulting radical‐ion pairs. The system xanthone/DABCO (A/D, see figure) permits a separation of the different static and dynamic quenching pathways and a distinction between bulk and surface diffusion.

     

Magnetic field effect on singlet oxygen production in a biochemical system

The yield of singlet oxygen sensitized by chemically modified, carotenoidless bacterial photosynthetic reaction centres and the ensuing oxidative damage are both shown to be magnetic field-dependent.     

Determination of radical re-encounter probability distributions from magnetic field effects on reaction yields

Measurements are reported of the effects of 0-23 mT applied magnetic fields on the spin-selective recombination of Py*- and DMA*+ radicals formed in the photochemical reaction of pyrene and N,N-dimethylaniline. Singlet <--> triplet interconversion in [Py*- DMA*+] radical pairs is probed by investigating combinations of fully protonated and fully deuterated reaction partners. Qualitatively, the experimental B1/2 values for the four isotopomeric radical pairs agree with predictions based on the Weller equation using known hyperfine coupling constants. The amplitude of the "low field effect" (LFE) correlates well with the ratio of effective hyperfine couplings, aDMA/aPy. An efficient method is introduced for calculating the spin evolution of [Py*- DMA*+] radical pairs containing a total of 18 spin-1/2 and spin-1 magnetic nuclei. Quantitative analysis of the magnetic field effects to obtain the radical re-encounter probability distribution f (t )-a highly ill-posed and underdetermined problem-is achieved by means of Tikhonov and maximum entropy regularization methods. The resulting f (t ) functions are very similar for the four isotopomeric radical pairs and have significant amplitude between 2 and 10 ns after the creation of the geminate radical pair. This interval reflects the time scale of re-encounters that are crucial for generating the magnetic field effect. Computer simulations of generalized radical pairs containing six spin-1/2 nuclei show that Weller's equation holds approximately only when the radical pair recombination rate is comparable to the two effective hyperfine couplings and that a substantial LFE requires, but is not guaranteed by, the condition that the two effective hyperfine couplings differ by more than a factor of 5. In contrast, for very slow recombination, essentially any radical pair should show a significant LFE.     

Spin-selective recombination kinetics of a model chemical magnetoreceptor

We determine the spin-selective kinetics of a carotenoid-porphyrin-fullerene triad that has previously been used to establish the principle that a photochemical reaction could form the basis of the magnetic compass sensor of migratory birds and show that its magnetic sensitivity can be understood without invoking quantum Zeno effects.     

Low-field optically detected EPR spectroscopy of transient photoinduced radical pairs

The effects of simultaneously applied weak static and weak radio frequency magnetic fields on the recombination of transient (<100 ns) radical pairs have been investigated using a low-field optically detected electron paramagnetic resonance technique. Measurements on the photoinduced electron-transfer reaction of perdeuterated pyrene with 1,3-dicyanobenzene using a approximately 0.3 mT radio frequency field at three separate frequencies (5, 20, and 65 MHz) in the presence of 0-4 mT static fields yield spectra that are strikingly sensitive to the frequency of the time-dependent field, to the strength of the static field, and to the relative orientation of the two fields. The spectra are simulated using a modified form of the gamma-COMPUTE algorithm originally devised for calculating magic angle spinning NMR spectra of polycrystalline samples. The essential features of the spectra are consistent with the radical pair mechanism and were satisfactorily simulated using parameters whose values are either known independently or for which estimates are readily available. The calculations included hyperfine couplings to four deuterons in the pyrene cation radical and three protons in the 1,3-dicyanobenzene anion radical. Spin-selective recombination was modeled using an exponential distribution of radical encounter times. The results are discussed in the context of the proposal that radical pair chemistry forms the basis of the magnetoreceptor that allows birds to sense the Earth's magnetic field as a source of compass information during migration.