Excited-state Intramolecular Proton Transfer Fluorescence Research Articles

Synthesis of fused 2-(2′-hydroxyphenyl)benzoxazole derivatives: the impact of meta-/para-substitution on fluorescence and zinc binding

A fused bis[2-(2′-hydroxyphenyl)benzoxazole] bis(HBO) 3 was synthesized via reaction of 4,6-dihydroxyisopthalic acid with 2-amnophenol in the presence polyphosphoric acid (PPA). In bis(HBO) 3, two benzoxazol-2-yl groups are connected via meta-phenylene, in comparison with para-phenylene in its isomer 5, in order to examine the effect of regiochemistry on optical properties. UV–vis and fluorescence spectra show that bis(HBO) 3 gave emission nearly exclusively from its keto tautomer, indicating more effective ‘excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT)’ than mono HBO. Bis(HBO) 3 gave blue ESIPT fluorescence (λem≈480nm), while 5 gave orange-red emission at 597nm, showing a large effect of regiochemistry on emission. The effect was further evaluated through binding with Zn2+ cation, with 3 showing spectral blue shift upon zinc binding while 5 did not. In addition, 3 revealed ability to detect different stages of zinc binding, giving different spectral response to (3)2–Zn (with 2:1 ligand-to-metal ratio) and 3–Zn species (with 1:1 ligand-to-metal ratio).

Modulation of ESIPT fluorescence in o-hydroxy acetophenone derivatives: A comparative study in different bio-mimicking aqueous interfaces

Excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) reaction and photophysical behavior of two intramolecularly hydrogen bonded o-hydroxy acetophenone derivatives, namely 2-acetyl-4-methyl-6-nitrophenol (I) and 2-acetyl-4-chloro-6-nitrophenol (II) are studied in the presence of different micro-heterogeneous environments ranging from cyclodextrin, surfactant as well as in model water soluble proteins like bovine and human serum albumin. The appearance of different emission profiles corresponding to a series of excited state isomers like primary enol structure (E), proton transferred keto form (K), or intermolecularly hydrogen bonded (with the solvent) open conformer is rationalized on the basis of varying degree of sequestration and the environment around the probe in the local micro-structure of the hydrophobic domain. The experimental observations are in complete agreement with the fluorescence behavior of these probes in homogeneous solvent medium as well as results based on density functional theory calculation published earlier (Chem. Phys. 342, 2007, 309).

Cation–Anion Dual Sensing of a Fluorescent Quinoxalinone Derivative Using Lactam–Lactim Tautomerism

A quinoxalinone derivative capable of lactam-lactim tautomerization was designed as a new fluorescence probe for sensing of cation (M(+) = Li(+) and Na(+)) and anion (X(-) = F(-), Cl(-), Br(-), and CH3COO(-)) in organic solvents. In THF, the minor lactam tautomer exhibited a weak fluorescence band at 425 nm with a typical Stokes shift of ∼4400 cm(-1), whereas the major lactim tautomer exhibited an intense fluorescence band at 520 nm with large Stokes shift of ∼8900 cm(-1) due to excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT). The presence of either cations or anions was found to promote lactim-to-lactam conversion, resulting in the lowering of the ESIPT fluorescence. The lone pairs on the alkylamide oxygen and the quinoxalinone ring nitrogen of the lactam were found to bind Li(+) to form a 1:2 coordination complex, which was confirmed by single crystal X-ray structural analysis and fluorescent titrations. In addition, the N-H bond of the lactam was able to recognize anions via N-H···X hydrogen bonding interactions. Where X = F(-) or CH3COO(-), further addition of these anions caused deprotonation of the lactam to generate an anionic state, consistent with the crystal structure of the anion prepared by mixing tetrabutylammonium fluoride and the quinoxalinone derivative in THF. Dual cation-anion-sensing responses were found to depend on the ion-recognition procedure. The anionic quinoxalinone derivative and its Li(+) complex, which are formed by the addition of CH3COO(-) and Li(+), respectively, displayed different fluorescence enhancement behavior due to the two anions exchanging with each other.

Ground and excited state proton transfer of the bioactive plant flavonol robinetin in a protein environment: spectroscopic and molecular modeling studies.

We performed spectroscopic and molecular modeling studies to explore the interaction of the bioactive plant flavonol robinetin (3,7,3',4',5'-OH flavone), with the carrier protein human serum albumin (HSA). Multiparametric fluorescence sensing, exploiting the intrinsic "two color" fluorescence of robinetin (comprising excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) and charge transfer (CT) emissions) reveals that binding to HSA significantly affects the emission and excitation profiles, with strongly blue-shifted (∼29 nm) normal fluorescence and remarkable increase in the ESIPT fluorescence anisotropy (r) and lifetime (τ). Flavonol-induced HSA (tryptophan) fluorescence quenching data yield the dynamic quenching constant (KD) as 5.42 × 10(3) M(-1) and the association constant (Ks) as 5.59 × 10(4) M(-1). Time-resolved fluorescence anisotropy decay studies show dramatic (∼170 times) increase in the rotational correlation time (τ(rot)), reflecting greatly enhanced restrictions in motion of robinetin in the protein matrix. Furthermore, prominent induced circular dichroism (ICD) bands appear, indicating that the chiral environment of HSA strongly perturbs the electronic transitions of the intrinsically achiral robinetin molecule. Molecular docking calculations suggest that robinetin binds in subdomain IIA of HSA, where specific interactions with basic residues promote ground state proton abstraction and stabilize an anionic species, which is consistent with spectroscopic observations.

An ESIPT fluorescent probe sensitive to protein α-helix structures.

A large majority of membrane proteins have one or more transmembrane regions consisting of α-helices. Membrane protein levels differ from one type of cell to another, and the expression of membrane proteins also changes from normal to diseased cells. For example, prostate cancer cells have been reported to have downregulated expression of membrane proteins, including zinc transporters, compared with normal prostate cells. These reports inspired us to design a fluorescence probe sensitive to protein α-helical structures to discriminate individual prostate cancer cells from normal ones. A benzazole derivative ( in this study) was observed to emit strong fluorescence resulting from an excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) in protein α-helical environments. The intensity of ESIPT fluorescence of was observed to be positively correlated with the α-helix content of proteins. The molecular docking simulation suggested that it had low energy for the binding of to proteins when the binding sites were localized within the α-helical regions of protein via H-bonds. Furthermore, was found to be localized in cell membranes through binding to transmembrane α-helical regions of membrane proteins, and was capable of probing differences in the α-helix contents of membrane proteins between normal and cancerous prostate cells through changes in the ESIPT emission intensity. These results indicated that could distinguish individual prostate cancer cells from normal ones, as the changes in the ESIPT fluorescence intensity of could reflect the regulation in expression of the membrane proteins including zinc transporters. This recognition strategy of individual prostate cancer cells might contribute to early diagnosis techniques for prostate cancer.

Photophysical properties and excited state intramolecular proton transfer in 2-hydroxy-5-[(E)-(4-methoxyphenyl)diazenyl]benzoic acid in homogeneous solvents and micro-heterogeneous environments

A systematic study on the photophysical properties and excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) behavior of 2-hydroxy-5-[(E)-(4-methoxyphenyl)diazenyl]benzoic acid, is reported using steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy in homogeneous solvents as well as in different micro-heterogeneous environments. Depending on the nature of intramolecular hydrogen bond (IHB), the salicylic acid derivative may exist in two different ground state conformers (I and II). Structure I having IHB between the carbonyl oxygen and phenolic hydrogen can undergo ESIPT upon excitation as evidenced by largely Stokes-shifted fluorescence at ~455nm; whereas, normal fluorescence in the blue side of the spectrum (~410nm) is due to the spontaneous emission from conformer II. The results in homogeneous solvents were compared with those in bio-mimicking environments of β-cyclodextrin (CD) and surfactants. The intensity of the ESIPT fluorescence increases substantially upon encapsulation of the probe into the cyclodextrin as well as micellar nano-cavities. Detailed analysis of the spectroscopic data indicates that the probe forms 1:1 complex with CD in aqueous medium. Binding constant of the probe with the micelles as well as critical micelle concentration was obtained from the variation of fluorescence intensity on increasing concentration of different surfactants in aqueous medium.

Detection of boronic acids through excited-state intramolecular proton-transfer fluorescence.

Boronic acids are versatile reagents for the chemical synthesis of organic molecules. They and other boron-containing compounds can be detected readily by the interruption of the excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) of 10-hydroxybenzo[h]quinolone. This method is highly sensitive and selective, and useful for monitoring synthetic reactions and detecting boron-containing compounds on a solid support.

Tuning of Excited-State Intramolecular Proton Transfer (ESIPT) Fluorescence of Imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine in Rigid Matrices by Substitution Effect

2-(2'-Hydroxyphenyl)imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine (HPIP, 1) and its derivatives are synthesized, and their fluorescence properties are studied. Although all the compounds show faint dual emission (Φ ≈ 0.01), which is assigned to the normal and excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) fluorescence in a fluid solution, they generally display efficient ESIPT fluorescence (Φ up to 0.6) in a polymer matrix. The introduction of electron-donating and electron-withdrawing groups into the phenyl ring causes blue and red shifts of the ESIPT fluorescence emission band, respectively. On the other hand, the introduction of such groups into the imidazopyridine part results in fluorescence shifts in the opposite directions. The results of ab initio quantum chemical calculations of the intramolecular proton-transferred (IPT) state are well in line with the ESIPT fluorescence energies. The plots of the calculated highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) energy levels against the Hammett substituent constants (σ) show good linearity with different slopes, which can rationalize the effect of the substituent and its position on the IPT state. Therefore, we have developed a series of HPIPs as new ESIPT fluorescent compounds and demonstrate that ESIPT fluorescence properties would be rationally tuned using quantum chemical methods.

Reversible Thermochromism of Aggregation-Induced Emission-Active Benzophenone Azine Based on Polymorph-Dependent Excited-State Intramolecular Proton Transfer Fluorescence

In this work, (2-hydroxy-4-methoxyphenyl)(phenyl)methanone azine (1) was found to exhibit aggregation-induced emission (AIE) and tunable solid fluorescence upon alternate annealing/melting treatments. According to the characterizations by X-ray crystallography, X-ray powder diffraction, and differential scanning calorimetry, the switching between the two different polymorphs was responsible for the tunable solid fluorescence as a consequence of polymorph-dependent excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) fluorescence, while the thermochromism was contributed by the conformational flexibility of rotary phenyl rings. The change in the tightness of packing upon annealing or melting thermal treatments resulted in the emission at different wavelengths. Therefore, polymorph-dependent ESIPT fluorescence could be utilized as a new strategy to develop efficient AIE-active materials in response to external stimuli.

Photoinduced Excited State Intramolecular Proton Transfer of New Schiff Base Derivatives with Extended Conjugated Chromophores: A Comprehensive Theoretical Survey

AbstractThis paper presented comprehensive theoretical investigation of excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) of four new large Schiff base derivatives with extended conjugated chromophores. The properties of the ground state and the excited state of phototautomers of C1 to C4 [C1: 2‐(4′‐nitro‐stilbene‐4‐ylimino)methylphenol; C2: 2‐(4′‐cyano‐stilbene‐4‐ylimino)methylphenol; C3: 2‐(4′‐methoxyl‐stilbene‐4‐ylimino)methylphenol; C4: 2‐(4′‐N,N‐diethylamino‐stilbene‐4‐ylimino)methylphenol], which included geometrical parameter, energy, rate constant, frontier orbit, Mulliken charge, dipole moment change, were studied by DFT (density functional theory), CIS (configuration interaction singles‐excitation), TDDFT (time‐dependent DFT) methods to analyze the effects of chromophore part on the occurrence of ESIPT and the role of substituent groups. The structural parameter calculation showed that the shorter RHN and larger ROH from enol to enol* form, and less twisted configuration in the excited state implied that these molecules could undergo ESIPT as excitation. Stable transition states and a low energy barrier were observed for C1 to C4. This suggested that chromophore part increased some difficulty to undergo ESIPT for these molecules, while the possibility of occurrence of ESIPT was quite high. The negative ΔE* (−9.808 and −9.163 kJ/mol) of C1 and C2 and positive ΔE* (0.599 and 1.029 kJ/mol) of C3 and C4 indicated that withdrawing substituent groups were favorable for the occurrence of ESIPT. The reaction rate constants of proton transfer of these compounds were calculated in the S0 and S1 states respectively, and the high rate constants of these compounds were observed at S1 state. C1 even reached at 1.45×1015 s−1 in the excited state, which is much closed to 2.05×1015 s−1 of the parent moiety (salicylidene methylamine). Electron‐donating and electron‐withdrawing substituent groups had different effects on the electron density distribution of frontier orbits and Mulliken charges of the atoms, resulting in different dipole moment changes in enol*→keto* process. These differences in turn suggested that C1 and C2 had more ability to undergo ESIPT than C3 and C4. The ultraviolet/visible absorption spectra, normal fluorescence emission spectra and ESIPT fluorescence emission spectra of these compounds were predicted in theory.

Fluorescent sensing of anions based on excited state intramolecular proton transfer in N-(3-hydroxy-2-naphthamido)-N′-phenylthiourea

A neutral N-amidothiourea-based excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) anion receptor bearing an o-hydroxynaphthamide fluorophore and a thiourea binding site, N-(3-hydroxy-2-naphthamide)-N′-phenylthiourea (1a), was designed and synthesized. Fluorescence and absorption response of 1a toward anions were assessed in acetonitrile. IR and NMR experiments indicated that the “OH⋯O=C” intramolecular hydrogen bond (IHB) in 1a was weak so that it only exhibited the short-wavelength normal emission other than ESIPT fluorescence. Due to the high anion binding affinity of the N-amidothiourea binding site and the formation of a hydrogen binding network in the 1a-anion complex, 1a underwent structural change upon anion binding that strengthens the “OH⋯O=C” IHB, leading to the ESIPT and the observation of the long-wavelength ESIPT emission whereas the normal fluorescence is quenched. On the basis of NMR and fluorescence titrations and control experiments with model compounds, a sensing mechanism of the anion-binding-induced ESIPT was proposed.

Electronic Structure Characteristics of ESIPT and TICT Fluorescence Emissions and Calculations of Emitting Energies

A scheme of time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) combined with the single-excitation configuration interaction (CIS) approach was employed to investigate the first excited singlet state ( S 1) for eight salicylanilide derivatives and analogues, which have similar structural formulas. The results showed that fluorescence-emitting mechanisms of these molecules were in two distinct manners (excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) and twisted intramolecular charge transfer (TICT)), which agreed with the well-known experiments. For ESIPT compounds with inconspicuous charge transfer (CT) during electron transition, pure functionals without Hartree-Fock (HF) exchange energy, such as OLYP and BLYP, were suitable to calculate emitting energies. For TICT compounds with large CT during electron transition, hybrid functionals with about 37% HF exchange energy, such as mPW1B95 and MPW1K, performed well. On condition that the exchange-correlation (XC) functionals were chosen properly according to the rules above, reliable emitting energies for salicylanilide derivatives and analogues could be obtained at the TDDFT/6-31G( d)//CIS/3-21G( d) level. The average accuracy reached about 0.2 eV. For the salicylanilides with both proton transfer (PT) and CT reaction channels, only one channel occurred actually according to the principle of energy minimum. This actual reaction decided proper XC functionals, whereas the reaction that did not occur actually was trivial. Eight appendent compounds were calculated to prove that this successful scheme is expected to be suitable for other ESIPT and TICT compounds.

Location of Solubilization of 2′-ethylhexyl Salicylate in Micelles

Absorption and excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) fluorescence of 2′-ethylhexyl salicylate (EHS) were examined in the presence of cationic, non-ionic, and anionic surfactants. It was found that linear EHS molecule was solubilized in micelles with its flexible and hydrophobic 2′-ethylhexyl chain toward the micellar core and with its rigid salicyl moiety toward the micelle-water interface. The UV absorption of EHS was improved and the intramolecular hydrogen bonding formation of EHS was favored, resulting in greatly enhanced ESIPT fluorescence. The excited EHS molecules decay via visible luminescence and non-radiative deactivation. The binding sites of EHS in micelles were explained at a molecular level in terms of molecular structures and sizes of EHS and surfactants. Dynamic fluorescence quenching and spectral measurements of ester hydrolysis of EHS provide further evidences for the binding sites of EHS in different micelles.

Torsion-induced fluorescence quenching in excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) dyes

Fluorescence quenching behaviors of four known excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) molecules have been studied by semiempirical and ab initio calculations. The ESIPT compounds studied in this work are assorted into two sets depending on the N-containing ring structure (5- and 6-membered rings). It has been found that twisted intramolecular charge transfer (TICT) process in the excited keto state (K *) after ESIPT, one of the possible quenching pathways of ESIPT fluorescence, is significantly influenced by the geometrical properties of intramolecular hydrogen (H) bond associated with the N-containing ring structure. The compounds with 5-membered ring have efficient ESIPT emission with large barrier to fluorescence-quenching TICT state, due to appropriate stabilization of planar K * through intramolecular H bond. For the compounds with 6-membered ring, however, ESIPT emission is completely quenched due to significantly lowered barrier resulting from too short H-bond length. The effect of intramolecular H bond on the TICT reaction potential has been discussed in detail from the viewpoints of molecular structure and torsional motion, with the help of elaborate model compound studies.

Tailoring the Excited-State Intramolecular Proton Transfer (ESIPT) Fluorescence of 2-(2'-Hydroxyphenyl)benzoxazole Derivatives

The excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) fluorescence in the 2-(2'-hydroxyphenyl)benzoxazole (HBO) derivatives with different electron donor and acceptor substituents was studied by spectroscopic and theoretical methods. Changes in the electronic transition, energy levels, and orbital diagrams of HBO analogues were investigated by the semi-empirical molecular orbital calculation and were correlated with the experimental spectral position of ESIPT keto emission. It was found that the presence of substituents, regardless of their nature, resulted in the red-shifted absorption relative to HBO. However, the spectral change of the ESIPT fluorescence was differently affected by the nature of substituent: hypsochromic shift with electron donor and bathochromic shift with electron acceptor.

Spectroscopic Studies of Fluorescent Dye N, N?- bis(2-hydroxy-5-methyl-benzylidene)-1,2-ethanediamine and its DNA Complex in Solution

Absorption and fluorescence emission properties of an N-salicylideneamine fluorescent dye molecule N, N'-bis(2-hydroxy-5-methylbenzylidene)-1,2-ethanediamine (1) have been studied in three typical solvents--2-methylbutane, ethanol, dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO), and its DNA complex in methanol/H2O mixed solvent. The normal absorption band of 1 is observed in both aprotic and protic solvents and has been assigned to the l --> a(pi) transition in the enol form of 1. The long-wavelength absorption band of 1, which is caused by the formation of a cis-keto species in the ground state, is absent in aprotic solvents, but is observable in protic ones. Normal fluorescence emission from the excited enol state of 1 is obtained only when the normal absorption band is excited, while the excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) emissions from both cis- and trans-keto species are recorded in all cases, being acceptable for the variation of the relative emission intensities. A preliminary spectroscopic study of the 1-DNA complex indicates an intercalation-binding mode, the convincing supporting evidence being the enhanced ESIPT fluorescence intensity of 1 when complexed with DNA. Finally, a universal energy-state diagram is given to interpret the experimental results.

Role of structural flexibility in the fluorescence and photochromism of salicylideneaniline: the general scheme of the phototransformations

The mechanism of light-induced transformation in the salicylideneaniline molecule was studied by semiempirical PM3 calculations. The structures and energies of the minima and saddle points (transition states) on the S 0, S 1 and T 1 potential energy hypersurfaces (PESs) were obtained, together with the gradient lines on the PESs. The structure-energy scheme was compared with the experimental findings. According to the results obtained, the following principle processes are observed: fast S 1 excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT), followed by typical ESIPT fluorescence; the formation of two S 1 twisted intramolecular charge transfer (TICT) structures which quench the ESIPT fluorescence; the diabatic formation of two ground state metastable coloured “post-TICT” structures responsible for photochromism.