Short Triplet Lifetime Research Articles

Quantification of Photosensitized Singlet Oxygen Production by a Fluorescent Protein

Fluorescent proteins are increasingly becoming actuators, rather than just sensors, in a range of cell biology techniques. One of those techniques is chromophore-assisted laser inactivation (CALI), which is employed to specifically inactivate the function of target proteins or organelles by producing photochemical damage [1]. CALI is achieved by the irradiation of dyes that are able to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS). The combination of CALI and the labelling specificity that fluorescent proteins provide is very useful to avoid uncontrolled photodamage. Indeed, fluorescent proteins have been successfully used in CALI, although of the inactivation mechanisms by ROS are dependent on the fluorescent protein used and are not fully understood [2,3]. Here, we present a quantitative study of the ability of TagRFP to produce ROS, in particular singlet oxygen. TagRFP is able to photosensitize singlet oxygen with an estimated quantum yield of 0.004 [4]. This is the first estimation of a quantum yield of singlet oxygen production value for a GFP-like protein. We also find that TagRFP has a short triplet lifetime, which reflects relatively high oxygen accessibility to the chromophore compared to EGFP. Our results provide photophysical insight that allows the understanding of the mechanism behind CALI. Moreover, it has implications in improving photobleaching in fluorescent proteins. [1] K. Jacobson, Z. Rajfur, E. Vitriol, K. Hahn, Trends Cell Biol.2008, 18, 443. [2] M. A. McLean, Z. Rajfur, Z. Z. Chen, D. Humphrey, B. Yang, S. G. Sligar, K. Jacobson, Anal. Chem. 2009, 81, 1755. [3] M. E. Bulina et al, Nat .Biotechnol.2006, 24, 95..[4] X. Ragas, L. P. Cooper, J. H. White, S. Nonell, C. Flors, submitted.

Quantification of Photosensitized Singlet Oxygen Production by a Fluorescent Protein

Fluorescent proteins are increasingly becoming actuators in a range of cell biology techniques. One of those techniques is chromophore-assisted laser inactivation (CALI), which is employed to specifically inactivate the function of target proteins or organelles by producing photochemical damage. CALI is achieved by the irradiation of dyes that are able to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS). The combination of CALI and the labelling specificity that fluorescent proteins provide is useful to avoid uncontrolled photodamage, although the inactivation mechanisms by ROS are dependent on the fluorescent protein and are not fully understood. Herein, we present a quantitative study of the ability of the red fluorescent protein TagRFP to produce ROS, in particular singlet oxygen ((1)O(2)). TagRFP is able to photosensitize (1)O(2) with an estimated quantum yield of 0.004. This is the first estimation of a quantum yield of (1)O(2) production value for a GFP-like protein. We also find that TagRFP has a short triplet lifetime compared to EGFP, which reflects relatively high oxygen accessibility to the chromophore. The insight into the structural and photophysical properties of TagRFP has implications in improving fluorescent proteins for fluorescence microscopy and CALI.

A very high efficiency electrophosphorescent device doped with short triplet lifetime phosphor using multi-recombination zones

We have demonstrated a high-efficiency electrophosphorescent device doped with bis(2-phenyl-benzoimidazole) iridium (III) acetylacetonate with a triplet lifetime in the range of nanoseconds. Then the doped mixed host was sandwiched by two doped single-host layers. Multi-recombination zones were formed in the emission layer. Such a structure could increase the proportion of recombined carriers to injected carriers and extend the recombination zone. As a result, a maximum external quantum efficiency of 18.6% was attained due to the presence of multi-recombination zones. The mechanism of improving the electroluminescence performance was also discussed.

Efficient and Long-Time Stable Red Iridium(III) Complexes for Organic Light-Emitting Diodes Based on Quinoxaline Ligands

We report the design and characterization of three heteroleptic orange-red phosphorescent iridium(III) complexes bearing two 2-(4-fluorophenyl)-3-methyl-quinoxaline (fpmqx) cyclometalated ligands combined with three different ancillary ligands, triazolylpyridine (trz), picolinate (pic), and acetylacetonate (acac). All of these complexes emit an orange to red color in the spectral range of 605-628 nm in dichloromethane. Strong spin-orbit coupling of the iridium atom allows the formally forbidden mixing of singlet and triplet states. Because of the structureless phosphorescent line shapes and low Stokes shifts between triplet metal-to-ligand charge-transfer ((3)MLCT) absorption and phosphorescent emission, we propose that emission originates predominantly from the (3)MLCT state with a lesser admixture of totally ligand-based (3)(pi-pi*) states. The influence of 5d-electron densities of the iridium center on highest occupied molecular orbitals leads to high emission quantum yields in toluene (Phi(p) = 0.39-0.42) and to short triplet lifetimes. Cyclovoltammetry measurements show reversible oxidation peaks from 0.74 to 0.92 V and reversible reduction waves with potentials ranging from -1.58 to -2.05 V versus Cp(2)Fe/Cp(2)Fe(+). All complexes have been applied in simple test devices and also in stable, long-living devices to evaluate their electroluminescent device performances, for which we especially report the influence of the chosen ancillary ligands on emission colors, efficiencies, and device lifetimes. We obtained narrowband emission ranging from 613 to 630 nm with a full width at half-maximum of 64-71 nm, and a maximum in power efficiency of eta(p) = 14.6 lm/W at a current density of J = 0.01 mA/cm(2) for [(fpmqx)(2)Ir(pic)]. The operating lifetimes of [(fpmqx)(2)Ir(trz)] in both neat and mixed matrixes were longer than that of the established stable tris(1-phenylisoquinolinato)iridium(III) [Ir(piq)(3)]. From the lifetime measurements, it becomes clear that the stability is strongly correlated to the type of ancillary ligand. An extrapolated lifetime of 58 000 h with an initial brightness of 1000 cd/m(2), together with a very low voltage increase of 0.2 V over a time period of 1000 h (starting voltage of 4.1 V), was achieved. Such a high device lifetime is attributed to the chemical stability of all materials toward both charge carriers and excitons.

Photophysics of Soret-Excited Tetrapyrroles in Solution. IV. Radiationless Decay and Triplet−Triplet Annihilation Investigated Using Tetraphenylporphinato Sn(IV)

The S(2) population decay rates and triplet-triplet annihilation efficiencies of Sn(IV)Cl(2)TPP have been measured in fluid solutions using its weak S(2)-S(0) fluorescence as a metric. A detailed description of the excited-state photophysics of Sn(IV)Cl(2)TPP has allowed comparisons to be made between this rigid, D(4h) axially coordinated molecule and axially uncoordinated tetrapyrroles of greater flexibility and lower symmetry. S(2)-S(1) internal conversion is the major S(2) population decay path for Sn(IV)Cl(2)TPP as it is for the S(2) states of all other d(0) and d(10) metalated tetrapyrroles. The S(2) state of Sn(IV)Cl(2)TPP exhibits S(2)-S(1) relaxation rates that follow the energy gap law of radiationless transition theory and are only slightly faster than those exhibited by MgTPP and the weak coupling limit. Differences in S(2)-S(1) radiationless decay rates among the series MTPP (M = Mg, Zn, Cd, SnCl(2)) cannot be traced to differences in the displacements of the S(2) and S(1) potential surfaces. Instead, the most likely source of the large differences in S(2)-S(1) radiationless decay rates between CdTPP and Sn(IV)Cl(2)TPP is the lower symmetry of the former (near C(4v)), which permits a much larger number of vibrations to participate in S(2)-S(1) vibronic coupling. Triplet-triplet annihilation of the type 2T(1) --> S(2) + S(0) has been observed in Sn(IV)Cl(2)TPP for the first time, but is of substantially lower efficiency than seen in ZnTPP in noncoordinating solvents because of its shorter triplet lifetime and the shielding effects of its axial Cl ligands, which tend to block the short-range interaction needed for Dexter energy transfer.

Competing pathways in the photo-Favorskii rearrangement and release of esters: studies on fluorinated p-hydroxyphenacyl-caged GABA and glutamate phototriggers.

Three new trifluoromethylated p-hydroxyphenacyl (pHP)-caged gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate (Glu) derivatives have been examined for their efficacy as photoremovable protecting groups in aqueous solution. Through the replacement of hydrogen with fluorine, e.g., a m-trifluoromethyl or a m-trifluoromethoxy versus m-methoxy substituents on the pHP chromophore, modest increases in the quantum yields for the release of amino acids GABA and glutamate as well as improved lipophilicity were realized. The pHP triplet undergoes a photo-Favorskii rearrangement with concomitant release of the amino acid substrate. Deprotonation competes with the rearrangement from the triplet excited state and yields the pHP conjugate base that, upon reprotonation, regenerates the starting ketoester, a chemically unproductive or "energy-wasting" process. When picosecond pump-probe spectroscopy is employed, GABA derivatives 2-5 are characterized by short triplet lifetimes, a manifestation of their rapid release of GABA. The bioavailability of released GABA at the GABA(A) receptor improved when the release took place from m-OCF3 (2) but decreased for m-CF3 (3) when compared with the parent pHP derivative. These studies demonstrate that pKa and lipophilicity exert significant but sometimes opposing influences on the photochemistry and biological activity of pHP phototriggers.

On fluorescence blinking of single molecules in polymers

Fluorescence blinking of single DiI molecules was studied in matrices: polymethylmetacrylate (PMMA), polystyrene (PS), and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). The triplet lifetimes of DiI were significantly different in PMMA, PS, and PVA. We found that short triplet lifetimes give short lifetimes of photobleaching, which is attributed to fluorescence quenching by molecular oxygen. We also found, that the intersystem crossing yield changes, for the same chromophore, when the polymer host is changed; a feature which could be attributed to different internal conversions for different polymer matrices. Long-lived dark states were often observed in PVA, a feature which suggests that dark state formation is due to a radical formation by intermolecular electron transfer.

The reduced triplet-triplet annihilation of electrophosphorescent device doped by an iridium complex with active hydrogen

We demonstrate high efficiency electrophosphorescent devices doped by bis(2-phenyl-benzoimidazole) iridium (III) acetylacetonate [Ir(ppi)2acac] with active hydrogen. At 100 mA/cm2 2 wt % Ir(ppi)2acac doped device offers an external quantum efficiency (ηext) of 5.1% and an efficiency roll-off of 28.2%, which decreases for 33.5% and 39.1% compared with that of 2 and 6 wt % fac-tris(2-phenylpyridine) iridium (III) [fac-Ir(ppy)3] doped reference devices, respectively. 7 wt % Ir(ppi)2acac doped device behaves a maximum ηext of 13.4% and a ηext of 8.0% at a luminance of 10 000 cd/m2. Both the ηext are higher than that of the reference device. The improvement in electroluminescent performance was assumed to be the very short triplet lifetime (3.74 ns) induced by the active hydrogen atom.

Addition of the Carbonyl Oxygen to the ipso- or ortho-Carbon Atoms of the β-Phenyl Ring Followed by Intersystem Crossing and Rapid Relaxation to the Ground-State Ketones: A Mechanism for β-Phenyl Quenching of the First Triplet Excited States of Derivatives of β-Phenylpropiophenone

The first triplet excited states of beta-phenylpropiophenone 1a and derivatives are known to have unusually short triplet lifetimes. On the basis of pronounced substituent and solvent effects observed in the case of 4-methoxy-beta-phenylpropiophenone 1b, a mechanism involving substantial electron transfer has been assumed to be operative. This contribution outlines an alternative mechanism involving addition of the excited carbonyl moiety at the ipso (preferred) or ortho positions of the beta-phenyl ring. The triplet biradicals thus formed may undergo rapid intersystem crossing to the singlet manifold. On the singlet hypersurface, the biradicals are not predicted to be minima, relaxing to the singlet ground-state ketones. Overall, this addition, intersystem crossing, elimination sequence provides a plausible reaction pathway for beta-phenyl quenching. Calculated activation enthalpies and substituent effects are in agreement with experimental data published in the literature.

Comparison of the Photophysical Parameters for Three Perylene Bisimide Derivatives by Single‐Molecule Spectroscopy

Characterization of the photophysical parameters for three perylene bisimide derivatives is presented. We exploited time-resolved and steady-state spectroscopy on both ensembles and single molecules under ambient as well as cryogenic (1.4 K) conditions. The finding is that these chromophores show extraordinary high fluorescence-emission rates, low intersystem crossing yields to the triplet state, and relatively short triplet lifetimes.

Photochemistry, photophysics and nonlinear optical parameters of phenoxy and tert-butylphenoxy substituted indium(III) phthalocyanines

This work hereby presents the syntheses, photochemistry and photophysics of octaphenoxy ((Cl)InOPPc) and octakis(4- tert-butylphenoxy)chloroindium ((Cl)InOTBPPc) phthalocyanines. Calculated nonlinear parameters of these complexes are compared with those of the corresponding GaPc derivatives and tetrasubstituted GaPc and InPc complexes. Fluorescence quantum yields do not vary much between (Cl)InOPPc and (Cl)InOTBPPc complexes in different solvents. High quantum yields of triplet state ( Φ T ranging from 0.70 to 0.91 in dimethysulphoxide, DMSO) and singlet oxygen generation ( Φ Δ, ranging from 0.61 to 0.79 in DMSO) were obtained. Short triplet lifetimes 50–60 μs were obtained in DMSO). The optical limiting threshold intensity ( I lim) for the InPc derivatives were calculated and compared with those of corresponding tetrasubstituted InPc and GaPc complexes. The latter were found to be better optical limiters.

Synthesis, photophysical and photochemical properties of tetra- and octa-substituted gallium and indium phthalocyanines

The synthesis, photophysical and photochemical properties of the tetra- and octa-[4-(benzyloxyphenoxy)] substituted gallium(III) and indium(III) phthalocyanines are reported for the first time. The new compounds have been characterized by elemental analysis, IR, 1H NMR spectroscopy and electronic spectroscopy. General trends are described for quantum yields of photodegredation, fluorescence quantum yields and lifetimes, triplet lifetimes and triplet quantum yields as well as singlet oxygen quantum yields of these compounds in dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO). Substituted indium phthalocyanine complexes ( 7b– 9b) showed much higher quantum yields of triplet state and shorter triplet lifetimes, compared to the substituted GaPc derivatives due to enhanced intersystem crossing (ISC) in the former. The gallium and indium phthalocyanine complexes showed phototransformation during laser irradiation due to ring reduction. The singlet oxygen quantum yields ( Φ Δ), which give an indication of the potential of the complexes as photosensitizers in applications where singlet oxygen is required (Type II mechanism) ranged from 0.51 to 0.94. Thus, these complexes show potential as photodynamic therapy of cancer.

Multifunctional Iridium Complexes Based on Carbazole Modules as Highly Efficient Electrophosphors

Getting the green light: Highly efficient organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) have been synthesized from robust green-electrophosphorescent IrIII complexes based on carbazole derivatives (see picture, HT=hole transporting, EL=electroluminescence). The combination of short triplet lifetime, high emission efficiency, and improved charge-transporting properties allows these OLEDs to achieve peak efficiencies of 12 % photons per electron and 38 cd A−1.

Mechanistic Study of Photoinitiated Free Radical Polymerization Using Thioxanthone Thioacetic Acid as One-Component Type II Photoinitiator

A mechanistic study concerning photoinitiated free radical polymerization using thioxanthone thio-acetic acid (TX−S−CH2−COOH) as one-component Type II photoinitiator was performed. Steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence and phosphorescence spectroscopy, as well as laser flash photolysis was employed to study the photophysics and photochemistry of TX−S−CH2−COOH. The initiator undergoes efficient intersystem crossing into the triplet state and the lowest triplet state posseses π−π* configuration. In contrast to the unsubstituted thioxanthone, TX−S−CH2−COOH shows an unusually short triplet lifetime (65 ns) indicating an intramolecular reaction. From fluoroscence, phosphorescence, and laser flash photolysis studies, in conjunction with photopolymerization experiments, we propose that TX−S−CH2−COOH triplets undergo intramolecular electron transfer followed by hydrogen abstraction and decarboxylation producing alkyl radicals, which are the active initiator radicals in photoinduced polymerization. At low in...

Photochemical reactions of triplet p-phenylbenzyl derivatives studied by using laser flash triplet-sensitization techniques

Photochemical properties in the triplet states of p-phenylbenzyl derivatives (PBX; X = H, Cl, Br, OH or SH) were investigated by using laser photolysis techniques of triplet-acetone sensitization. Beta-bond dissociation of triplet phenylbenzyl mercaptan (X = SH) was shown for the first time while formation of triplet states were seen for phenyl toluene and phenylbenzyl alcohol by triplet energy transfer. Beta-bond cleavage was absent for halide compounds (X = Cl and Br) upon sensitization because of the short triplet lifetimes due to a heavy atom effect. The reactivity for beta-bond cleavage was interpreted in terms of difference in the bond enthalpy, D(C-X), relative to the triplet energies.

Intersystem Crossing Mechanisms and Single Molecule Fluorescence: Terrylene in Anthracene Crystals

Single molecule spectroscopy requires molecules with low triplet yields and/or short triplet lifetimes. The intersystem crossing (ISC) rate may be dramatically enhanced by the host matrix. Comparing the fluorescence intensity of single terrylene molecules in para-terphenyl, naphthalene, and anthracene crystals, we found a reduction of the saturation intensity by three orders of magnitude in the latter case. The fluorescence autocorrelation function indicates that the bottleneck state is the terrylene triplet. We propose a ping-pong mechanism between host and guest. This intermolecular ISC mechanism, which can open whenever the host triplet lies lower than the guest singlet, was overlooked in previous single molecule investigations.

Single dye molecules in an oxygen-depleted environment as photostable organic triggered single-photon sources

We demonstrate, that under nitrogen atmosphere, 20% of single DiIC18(3) (1,1′-dioctadecyl-3,3,3′,3′-tetramethylindocarbocyanine perchlorate) molecules in poly(methylmethacrylate) show an extremely low photobleaching quantum yield of (4.66±0.07)×10−8 together with a reasonably short triplet lifetime. We exploit these properties to demonstrate that the system can be used to produce a triggered single-photon source based exclusively on organic materials.

Laser flash photolysis of tert-butyl aroylperbenzoates: kinetics of the singlet and triplet states and the aroylphenyl radicals.

tert-Butyl aroylperbenzoates (1-4) were studied by laser flash photolysis (LFP). LFP (380 nm, pulse width approximately 350 fs) of 2 and 3 allowed direct observation of their singlet states, which showed broad absorption (lambda(max) approximately 625 nm; tau approximately 20 and approximately 7.9 ps, respectively). The triplet state of each (lambda(max) approximately 530-560 nm) rapidly dissociates by O-O cleavage as indicated by the short triplet lifetimes (e.g., triplet lifetime of 3 approximately 0.74 ns). The approximately 550 nm absorption obtained from the 355 nm LFP (pulse width approximately 7 ns) of 1, 2, and 4 has been assigned to the corresponding aroylphenyl radicals. Two representative radicals (4-benzoylphenyl 5 and 3-(4'-methylbenzoyl)phenyl 6) investigated in detail showed solvent-dependent lifetimes. Absolute bimolecular rate constants of reactions of these radicals with various quenchers including double-bond-containing monomers have been observed to range from 7.56 x 10(7) to 1.68 x 10(9) M(-1) s(-1) in CCl(4) at room temperature. A possible structure of the aroylphenyl radicals and the transition responsible for the 550 nm absorption are discussed.

Self-organized lipid-porphyrin bilayer membranes in vesicular form: nanostructure, photophysical properties, and dioxygen coordination.

An amphiphilic tetraphenylporphyrin and its iron complex bearing four phospholipid substituents, in which a trimethylolethane residue connects the two acyl chains (lipid-porphyrins), have been synthesized. The free-base lipid-porphyrin 6a self-organizes in aqueous media to form spherical unilamellar vesicles with a diameter of 100 nm and a uniform thickness of 10 nm, which corresponds to twice the length of the molecule. In the visible absorption spectrum, the porphyrin Soret band was significantly red-shifted (12 nm) relative to that of the monomer in benzene/MeOH solution due to the excitonic interaction of the porphyrin chromophores. The [symbol: see text]-A isotherm of 6a gave an area per molecule of 2.2 nm2, which allowed the estimation of the number of molecules in a single vesicle (2.3 x 10(4)). Double-layered Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films of 6a on a glass surface exhibited an absorption spectrum identical to that of the 6a vesicles in bulk aqueous solution, and this suggests that they contain similar geometric arrangements of the porphyrin moieties. Exciton calculations on the basis of our structural model reproduced the bathochromic shift of the Soret band well. In the photophysical properties of the 6a vesicles, the characteristics of J-aggregated porphyrins substantially predominate: strong fluorescence and extremely short triplet lifetime. The iron complex 6b with a small molar excess of 1-dodecylimidazole (DIm) also formed spherical unilamellar vesicles (100 nm phi). Scanning force microscopy after evaporation on a graphite surface revealed 6b/DIm vesicles with a vertical height of 19.8 nm, which coincided with the thickness of the double bilayer membranes. The ferrous 6c formed a bis(DIm)-coordinated low-spin FeII complex under an N2 atmosphere. Upon addition of O2 to this solution, a kinetically stable O2 adduct was formed at 37 degrees C with a half-life of 17 h. Distinct gel-phase (liquid-crystal) transitions of the lipid-porphyrin membranes were clearly observed; the free base 6a displayed a higher transition temperature (56 degrees C) than the iron complex. Magnetic circular dichroism and infrared spectroscopic studies proved that molecular O2 coordinates to the self-organized lipid-porphyrinatoiron(II) vesicles in aqueous media.

Energy Transfer, Electron Transfer, and Addition Reactions of Triplet State of 1,3-Dihydroimidazole-2-thiones Investigated by Laser Flash Photolysis

Abstract The transient absorption bands observed at ca. 400 and 550 nm for 1,3-dihydro-2H-imidazole-2-thione (IT), 1,3-dihydro-1-methyl-2H-imidazole-2-thione (MIT), and 1,3-dihydro-2H-benzimidazole-2-thione (BIT) have been assigned to their triplet states (3IT* ’s) by the quenching and sensitizing experiments using laser flash photolysis technique. Short intrinsic triplet lifetimes and relatively high triplet energies have been evaluated as characteristics of 3IT* ’s. For electron acceptors, photoinduced electron-transfer reaction occurs via 3IT* ’s in the diffusion controlled limit. The nucleophilic character of 3IT* ’s was confirmed by changing the substituents of alkenes on the addition reactions. MO calculations indicate that the lowest electronic configurations of both 3IT* and 3MIT* have 3(n,π*) character, while 3BIT* has 3(π,π*) character. The addition reactivity of 3BIT* is slightly higher than those of 3IT* and 3MIT*, which is opposite to the general tendency.