Coumarin C153 Research Articles

Non-Phenomenological Description of the Time-Resolved Emission in Solution with Quantum-Classical Vibronic Approaches-Application to Coumarin C153 in Methanol.

We report a joint experimental and theoretical work on the steady-state spectroscopy and time-resolved emission of the coumarin C153 dye in methanol. The lowest energy excited state of this molecule is characterized by an intramolecular charge transfer thus leading to remarkable shifts of the time-resolved emission spectra, dictated by the methanol reorganization dynamics. We selected this system as a prototypical test case for the first application of a novel computational protocol aimed at the prediction of transient emission spectral shapes, including both vibronic and solvent effects, without applying any phenomenological broadening. It combines a recently developed quantum-classical approach, the adiabatic molecular dynamics generalized vertical Hessian method (Ad-MD|gVH), with nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations. For the steady-state spectra we show that the Ad-MD|gVH approach is able to reproduce quite accurately the spectral shapes and the Stokes shift, while a ∼0.15 eV error is found on the prediction of the solvent shift going from gas phase to methanol. The spectral shape of the time-resolved emission signals is, overall, well reproduced, although the simulated spectra are slightly too broad and asymmetric at low energies with respect to experiments. As far as the spectral shift is concerned, the calculated spectra from 4 ps to 100 ps are in excellent agreement with experiments, correctly predicting the end of the solvent reorganization after about 20 ps. On the other hand, before 4 ps solvent dynamics is predicted to be too fast in the simulations and, in the sub-ps timescale, the uncertainty due to the experimental time resolution (300 fs) makes the comparison less straightforward. Finally, analysis of the reorganization of the first solvation shell surrounding the excited solute, based on atomic radial distribution functions and orientational correlations, indicates a fast solvent response (≈100 fs) characterized by the strengthening of the carbonyl-methanol hydrogen bond interactions, followed by the solvent reorientation, occurring on the ps timescale, to maximize local dipolar interactions.

State-specific electrostatic potential descriptors for estimating solvatochromic effects.

The Lippert-Mataga equation is used widely to describe the solvatochromic effects of fluorescent molecules through the evaluation of solute-solvent interactions on the basis of the point-dipole model. A large dipole deviation of molecules in the ground-state and the lowest excited-state is a basic requirement for the design of a polarity-sensitive fluorescent probe. Some recently synthesized probes with center-symmetry have near zero dipole deviation while undergoing notably solvatochromic behaviors. Thus, it is necessary to find a new method beyond the Lippert-Mataga model to qualitatively estimate the molecular solvent shifts. To this end, a state-specific descriptor (SSD) based on molecular surface electrostatic potentials (ESP) is proposed to explain the solvatochromic behaviors of the well-studied coumarin C153 and center-symmetric DCB-1d. In contrast to the experimental solvent shifts and state-specific TD-DFT calculations, the SSD successfully explains the solvatochromic effect of C153 and DCB-1d molecules. In addition, the SSD was tested by using eight selected polarity-sensitive fluorescent molecules. The SSD was found to provide a good linear relationship with solvatochromism.

TD-DFT calculations of one- and two-photon absorption in Coumarin C153 and Prodan: attuning theory to experiment.

We use TD-DFT to calculate the one-photon absorption (1PA) and two-photon absorption (2PA) properties of C153 and Prodan in toluene and DMSO, and benchmark different methods relative to accurate experimental data available from the literature on these particular systems. As the first step, we modify the range-separated TD-DFT to provide the best prediction for the peak 1PA wavelength, and then apply the optimized functionals to achieve quantitative predictions of the corresponding two-photon absorption cross section, σ2PA, with an accuracy ∼10-20% in C153 and ∼20-30% in Prodan. To elucidate the origin of residual discrepancies between the theory and experimental observations, we invoked the two essential states model for σ2PA, which allows us to verify not only the transition wavelength and the σ2PA value, but also to quantitatively benchmark the calculation of key molecular parameters such as the transition dipole moment and the change of the permanent dipole moment. Such comprehensive cross-checking indicates that a larger discrepancy in Prodan is most likely caused by a noted failure of DFT to predict the relative intensity and relative ordering of closely lying excited states with different degrees of intramolecular charge transfer, which we further support by analyzing the predictions obtained by high-level coupled-cluster calculations in the gas phase. Our results highlight the utility of benchmarking the calculations not only relative to other theoretical methods, but also in comparison to the experimental measurements, wherever such data are available.

Fluorescence Dynamics of Monocyclodextrin- and Bis(thiol-cyclodextrin)-Coumarin C153 Complexes.

The solvation and confinement of coumarin C153 within supramolecular host/guest complexes based on β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) and 6-deoxy-6-thio-β-cyclodextrin (β-CD-SH) in water are studied by fluorescence spectroscopy. For β-CD/C153, the 1:1 complex is proposed, and for β-CD-SH/C153 both the 1:1 and 2:1 complexes are believed to be formed. The 2:1 β-CD-SH/C153 complex has an association constant of 4.2×10(5) M(-1) and a C153 population of 82 %, which are interestingly high values, indicating that the proposed β-CD-SH dimers structure are connected by covalent disulfide bonds; this is supported by mass spectrometry. Solvation related to fast hydrogen-bond rearrangement as a part of fluorescence relaxation is determined by the ultrafast components of time-resolved spectroscopy to be 3 and 7 ps for the 1:1 β-CD/C153 and 2:1 β-CD-SH/C153 complexes, respectively.

First-principle computation of absorption and fluorescence spectra in solution accounting for vibronic structure, temperature effects and solvent inhomogenous broadening

We compute the line shape of absorption and emission electronic spectra of two different dyes, Coumarin C153 and N-methyl-6-Quinolinium betaine accounting for the vibronic structure, temperature effects and polar solvent inhomogeneous broadening, without using any phenomenological parameter. We exploit a number of recent developments including a time-dependent (TD) approach to the computation of vibronic spectra that provides fully converged line shapes at finite temperature accounting for both Duschinsky and Herzberg–Teller effects, and the state-specific (SS) implementation of Polarizable Continuum Model (PCM). This latter is adopted to compute the solvent reorganization energy connected to inhomogenoeus broadening. We compute the absorption and fluorescence spectra in the gas-phase, non-polar and polar solvents analyzing the relative importance of different sources of broadening. To this end we investigate the performance of TD Density Functional Theory, Complete Active Space Self Consistent Field (CASSCF) and Complete Active Space second-order Perturbation Theory (CASPT2) methods in the computation of inhomogeneous broadening.

Time-resolved laser spectroscopy of nonreactive processes in ionic liquids and their binary mixtures with organic solvents and CO2

Nonreactive dynamics of molecules in ionic liquids (ILs) have been investigated in various environments, such as in neat aprotic and protic ILs, as well as in binary mixtures of ILs with polar organic solvents and CO2. Transient broadband absorption and fluorescence spectroscopic techniques on timescales from femtoseconds to milliseconds have been applied to elucidate the importance of different types of solute–solvent interactions in these media. Molecular probes such a 12′-apo-β-carotenoic-12′-acid and Coumarin C153 have been used as reporter molecules for ionic liquid solvation dynamics, micropolarity, hydrogen-bonding and collisional relaxation. With Coumarin C153 in ILs, the relationship between the complete solvation response and microwave-terahertz absorption measurements of the neat liquid was explored quantitatively. A reduced value for the conductivity plays a key role in such solvation experiments. Aprotic ILs exhibit a micropolarity larger than expected from their static dielectric constants, whereas the local polarity of protic alkylammonium formate ILs appears to be similar to that of alcohols having comparable dielectric constants. In IL mixtures with organic solvents or CO2, there is no indication for differences in the bulk composition and the local composition around the molecular probe. Collisional relaxation processes in ILs take place on similar timescales as in dipolar organic solvents.

Polypeptide nanogels with hydrophobic moieties in the cross-linked ionic cores: synthesis, characterization and implications for anticancer drug delivery

Polymer nanogels have gained considerable attention as a potential platform for drug delivery applications. Here we describe the design and synthesis of novel polypeptide-based nanogels with hydrophobic moieties in the cross-linked ionic cores. Diblock copolymer, poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly(l-glutamic acid), hydrophobically modified with l-phenylalanine methyl ester moieties was used for controlled template synthesis of nanogels with small size (ca. 70 nm in diameter) and narrow particle size distribution. Steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence studies using coumarin C153 indicated the existence of hydrophobic domains in the ionic cores of the nanogels. Stable doxorubicin-loaded nanogels were prepared at high drug capacity (30 w/w%). We show that nanogels are enzymatically-degradable leading to accelerated drug release under simulated lysosomal acidic pH. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the nanogel-based formulation of doxorubicin is well tolerated and exhibit an improved antitumor activity compared to a free doxorubicin in an ovarian tumor xenograft mouse model. Our results signify the point to a potential of these biodegradable nanogels as attractive carriers for delivery of chemotherapeutics.

Is it possible to apply dynamics of solvent to locate metal nanoparticles inside an ionic liquids-containing microheterogeneous system? A comparative study

In this Letter, our aim is to determine the location of metal Nanoparticles (NPs) inside Room Temperature Ionic Liquid (RTIL)-containing microemulsions by solvation dynamics approach. To locate the NPs we have used three different coumarin probes, C-153, C-480, and C-343, due to their different locations in RTIL-containing microemulsion. The increment in the solvation time is more in case of C-343 compared with other two probe molecules, C-480 and C-153, due to its location at the core of the pool of the RTIL; which confirmed the location of the NPs.

Polarization effects on the solvation dynamics of coumarin C153 in ionic liquids: Components and their cross-correlations

The solvation dynamics of coumarin C153 dissolved in three selected molecular ionic liquids - EMIM(+)BF4(-), EMIM(+)TfO(-), and BMIM(+)BF4(-) - was studied by molecular dynamics simulations including polarization forces. The solvation response function was decomposed with respect to permanent and induced charge distributions, cationic and anionic contributions, and translational and non-translational motions. The latter decomposition was accomplished by an appropriate multipole expansion. Furthermore, the difference in solvation energy was resolved radially. The dynamics in the sub-picosecond regime was elucidated as the mutual translational motion of the solute and the cage formed by the first solvation shell. For a qualitative interpretation, solvent molecules can be reduced to "quasi-atomic" ions carrying a net charge at their molecular center of mass. Towards a quantitative description, the dipole moment serves as a measure of charge anisotropy.

Computing the inhomogeneous broadening of electronic transitions in solution: a first-principle quantum mechanical approach

Starting from Marcus's relationship connecting the inhomogeneous broadening with the solvent reorganization energy and exploiting recent state-specific developments in PCM/TD-DFT calculations, we propose a procedure to estimate the polar broadening of optical transitions. When applied to two representative molecular probes, coumarin C153 and 4-aminophthalimide, in different solvents, our approach provides for the polar broadening values fully consistent with the experimental ones. Thanks to these achievements, for the first time fully ab initio vibrationally resolved absorption spectra in solution are computed, obtaining spectra for coumarin C153 in remarkable agreement with experiments.

Accurate Steady-State and Zero-Time Fluorescence Spectra of Large Molecules in Solution by a First-Principle Computational Method

We report the first-principle calculation and analysis of the vibrationally resolved steady-state absorption and fluorescence spectra, and of the zero-time fluorescence spectrum of a sizable molecule, coumarin C153, in two different solvents. Our approach, bringing together the most recent developments in the fields of time-dependent density functional theory and of polarizable continuum solvent models, with an efficient method for the computation of vibrational contributions to transition intensities, allows a remarkable agreement with experiments, both concerning the line shapes and the solvatochromic and Stokes shifts. The method is also able to nicely describe the solvent relaxation effect on the fluorescence spectra, perfectly reproducing the energy shift between zero-time and steady-state fluorescence.

Effective method to compute vibrationally resolved optical spectra of large molecules at finite temperature in the gas phase and in solution

The authors present a new method for the computation of vibrationally resolved optical spectra of large molecules, including the Duschinsky rotation of the normal modes and the effect of thermal excitation. The method automatically selects the relevant vibronic contributions to the spectrum, independently of their frequency, and it is able to provide fully converged spectra with moderate computational times, both in vacuo and in solution. By describing the electronic states in the frame of the density functional theory and its time-dependent extension, they computed the room temperature absorption spectra of coumarin C153 and trans-stilbene in cyclohexane and the phosphorescence spectrum of porphyrazine in gas phase, showing that the method is fast and efficient. The comparison with experiment for trans-stilbene and coumarin C153 is very satisfactory, confirming the progress made toward a reliable method for the computation and interpretation for the optical spectra of large molecules.

Effective method to compute Franck-Condon integrals for optical spectra of large molecules in solution

The authors present a new method for the computation of vibrationally resolved optical spectra of large molecules, including the Duschinsky [Acta Physicochim. URSS 7, 551 (1937)] rotation of the normal modes. The method automatically selects the relevant vibronic contributions to the spectrum, independent of their frequency, and it is able to provide fully converged spectra with a quite modest computational time, both in vacuo and in condensed phase. Starting from the rigorous time-dependent expression they discuss indeed in which limits the spectrum of a molecule embedded in a solvent, described as a polarizable continuum, can be computed in a time-independent formalism, defining both nonequilibrium and equilibrium limits. In these cases the polarizable continuum model provides a suitable description of the solvent field. By computing the absorption spectra of anthracene in gas phase and of coumarin C153 in gas phase and cyclohexane, and the phosphorescence spectrum of the unsubstituted coumarin in ethanol they show that the method is fast and efficient.

Ab Initio Calculations of Absorption Spectra of Large Molecules in Solution: Coumarin C153

Ab Initio Calculations of Absorption Spectra of Large Molecules in Solution: Coumarin C153

Ab Initio Calculations of Absorption Spectra of Large Molecules in Solution: Coumarin C153

Ab Initio Calculations of Absorption Spectra of Large Molecules in Solution: Coumarin C153

Solvation Dynamics by Computer Simulation: Coumarin C153 in 1,4-Dioxane

Computer simulation results are presented for an atomistic pair potential model of 1,4-dioxane which takes into account molecular flexibility. The model has been conceived to be applied to the study of solvatochromism and solvation dynamics in the presence of the polar probe coumarin C153. Computer simulations on the pure liquid have produced thermodynamical, structural, and dynamical data in good agreement with available experimental measures. This constitutes a valuable test of the 1,4-dioxane all-atom model employed. The study of solute-solvent interactions for C153 in 1,4-dioxane has been motivated by the aim of casting light, through simulations, on the interesting experimental findings according to which such a solvent behaves as a "polar" solvent with respect to dynamic solvation properties. Molecular dynamics is particularly suitable to model the process and provides an interpretation of the so-called "dioxane anomaly". An investigation of the structure of the solvation shell and of the dynamics of solvation is presented and discussed. In particular, the satisfactory accordance between simulated and experimental solvation response implies that the simulations give a reliable description of both solute and solvent at a molecular level and reinforces the idea that the explicit inclusion of discrete solvent molecules is needed for a realistic treatment of solvation phenomena in which the local structure of the liquid plays a key role.

Solvation Dynamics of C153 in Supercritical Fluoroform: A Simulation Study Based on Two-Site and Five-Site Models of the Solvent

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of a probe solute (coumarin C153) in supercritical fluoroform are used to study time-dependent solute-solvent interactions. We study the dynamics of solvent reorganization in response to electronic excitation of C153 at a temperature of 1.03 T(c) (the critical temperature) and a series of densities above and below the critical density. Simulations of a two-site and five-site models of fluoroform are presented and compared. The time-dependent solvation response after solute electronic excitation is studied in the two cases, and the five-site results present an earlier onset of exponential decay that is closer to what is expected to be the experimental response. This is confirmed by comparison to experiment. In addition to obtaining the solvation response from nonequilibrium MD trajectories, approximate solvation responses were obtained from equilibrium time correlations of the fluctuations in the solvation energy change in the presence of ground- and excited-state solutes. For the five-site model, the equilibrium excited-state response shows stronger density dependence than the ground-state one. The nonequilibrium response appears to have an intermediate decay rate between the two equilibrium functions. The solute-partial-charge-solvent-induced-dipole interaction was also taken into account by means of a perturbative approach, which improved the agreement with experimental measurements available at densities corresponding to 1.4-1.6 rho(c) (where rho(c) the critical density). From the comparison between the two models, it is possible to conclude that an atomistic description is necessary for correctly representing the portion of solvation dynamics that is related to reorientation. This consideration is supported by providing results for orientational time correlation functions and by comparing the correlation times with the experimental ones.

Quantum mechanical calculations coupled with a dynamical continuum model for the description of dielectric relaxation: Time dependent Stokes shift of coumarin C153 in polar solvents

We present here a study of the time dependent Stokes shift, performing quantum-mechanical calculations on coumarin C153 in polar solvents. The electrostatic interaction between the solute and the solvent is treated within the Polarizable Continuum Model, which allows us to use a molecular shaped cavity for the solute. In order to take into account that the sudden change in the solute electronic density after the S 0 → S 1 excitation can be accompanied by a non instantaneous rearrangement of a component of the solvent polarization, we use a non-equilibrium representation of the solvent response. We have implemented a procedure to calculate the solvation time correlation function (the theoretical counterpart of the Stokes shift), including experimental data of the complex dielectric permittivity \\ ̂ ge(ω). The results that we have obtained are in good agreement with the experimental measurements. We will report the calculations for water, methanol, acetonitrile and dimethyl sulfoxide as solvents, showing that a correct treatment of dielectric relaxation generally needs a more detailed description of the solvent response than diffusive models.

Ion-responsive fluorescent compounds: VI. Coumarin 153 linked to rigid crowns for improvement of selectivity

The photophysical and complexing properties of fluoroionophores consisting of the coumarin C153 linked to dibenzo-16-crown-5 (C153-DBC) and tribenzo-19-crown-6 (C153-TBC) are described in acetonitrile and ethanol. The carbonyl group of the coumarin moiety is in direct interaction with a bound cation. The selectivity of these compounds for a given alkali or alkaline earth metal ion was found to be better than that of previously reported crowned coumarins owing to the rigidity of dibenzo- and tribenzocrowns. In acetonitrile, a very high selectivity for Ca 2+ versus Mg 2+ has been found. In ethanol, C153-DBC is selective for Na + and C153-TBC is selective for K +, as expected from the relative size of the crown cavity.

Products of photodegradation for coumarin laser dyes

The products of conventional photolysis of the coumarin laser dyes, C1, C35, C153, and C152 have been investigated. The previously reported dealkylation of C1 is documented for the fluorinated dyes, C35, and C152 in deaerated solvents. In addition, a reduction product is identified for C1, consistent with a radical mechanism for decomposition. Evidence is provided that the concentration quenching (self quenching) of singlet dye is important to the degradation mechanism. For the rigid dye, C153, a photooxidation product involving the amine functionality results from decomposition in aerated media. For several dyes, very low triplet yields have been measured.