Singlet Fluorescence Research Articles

Activity-Based Nitric Oxide-Responsive Porphyrin for Site-Selective and Nascent Cancer Ablation.

Nitric oxide (NO) generated within the tumor microenvironment is an established driver of cancer progression and metastasis. Recent efforts have focused on leveraging this feature to target cancer through the development of diagnostic imaging agents and activatable chemotherapeutics. In this context, porphyrins represent an extraordinarily promising class of molecules, owing to their demonstrated use within both modalities. However, the remodeling of a standard porphyrin to afford a responsive chemical that can distinguish elevated NO from physiological levels has remained a significant research challenge. In this study, we employed a photoinduced electron transfer strategy to develop a panel of NO-activatable porphyrin photosensitizers (NOxPorfins) augmented with real-time fluorescence monitoring capabilities. The lead compound, NOxPorfin-1, features an o-phenylenediamine trigger that can effectively capture NO (via N2O3) to yield a triazole product that exhibits a 7.5-fold enhancement and a 70-fold turn-on response in the singlet oxygen quantum yield and fluorescence signal, respectively. Beyond demonstrating excellent in vitro responsiveness and selectivity toward NO, we showcase the potent photodynamic therapy (PDT) effect of NOxPorfin-1 in murine breast cancer and human non-small cellular lung cancer cells. Further, to highlight the in vivo efficacy, two key studies were executed. First, we utilized NOxPorfin-1 to ablate murine breast tumors in a site-selective manner without causing substantial collateral damage to healthy tissue. Second, we established a nascent human lung cancer model to demonstrate the unprecedented ability of NOxPorfin-1 to halt tumor growth and progression completely. The results of the latter study have tremendous implications for applying PDT to target metastatic lesions.

Coulomb interactions for mediator-enhanced sensitized triplet-triplet annihilation upconversion in solution.

Sensitized triplet-triplet annihilation upconversion offers an attractive possibility to replace a high-energy photon by two photons with lower energy through the combination of a light-harvesting triplet sensitizer and an annihilator for the formation of a fluorescent singlet state. Typically, high annihilator concentrations are required to achieve an efficient initial energy transfer and as a direct consequence the most highly energetic emission is often not detectable due to intrinsic reabsorption by the annihilator itself. Herein, we demonstrate that the addition of a charge-adapted mediator drastically improves the energy transfer efficiency at low annihilator concentrations via an energy transfer cascade. Inspired by molecular dyads and recent developments in nanocrystal-sensitized upconversion, our system exploits a concept to minimize intrinsic filter effects, while boosting the upconversion quantum yield in solution. A sensitizer-annihilator combination consisting of a ruthenium-based complex and 9,10-diphenylanthracene (DPA) is explored as model system and a sulfonated pyrene serves as mediator. The impact of opposite charges between sensitizer and mediator - to induce coulombic attraction and subsequently result in accelerated energy transfer rate constants - is analyzed in detail by different spectroscopic methods. Ion pairing and the resulting static energy transfer in both directions is a minor process, resulting in an improved overall performance. Finally, the more intense upconverted emission in the presence of the mediator is used to drive two catalytic photoreactions in a two-chamber setup, illustrating the advantages of our approach, in particular for photoreactions requiring oxygen that would interfere with the upconversion system.

Two-Pronged Dormant Photosensitizer-Antibiotic Bacterial Inactivation: Mechanism, Dosage, and Cellular Evolution Visualized at the Single-Cell Level.

Innovative therapeutic approaches are required to battle the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains. Tapping on reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in bacteria induced by bactericidal antibiotics, here we report a two-pronged strategy for bacterial inactivation relying on the synergistic combination of a bactericidal antibiotic and newly designed dormant photosensitizers (DoPSs) that activate in the presence of ROS. Intramolecular quenching renders DoPS inert in the presence of light. ROS trapping by DoPS aborts the quenching mechanism unmasking, in equal proportions, singlet oxygen (1O2) sensitization and fluorescence emission. Juxtaposed antioxidant-prooxidant activity built within our DoPS enables (i) initial activation of a few molecules by ROS and (ii) subsequent rapid activation of all DoPS in a bacterium via a domino effect mediated by photogenerated 1O2. Bulk colony forming unit studies employing the minimum inhibitory concentration of the antibiotic illustrate rapid and selective inactivation of Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa only in the presence of light, antibiotic, and DoPS. Single-cell, real-time imaging studies on E. coli reveal an autocatalytic progression of DoPS activation from focal points, providing a unique amplification system for sensing. Single-cell analysis further illustrates the impact of DoPS cellular loading on the rate of DoPS activation and cell death times and on the 1O2 dosing necessary for cell death to occur. Our two-pronged therapy discriminates based on cell metabolites and has the potential to result in lower toxicity, pave the way to reduced drug resistance, and provide insightful mechanistic information about bacterial membrane response to 1O2.

A3B type asymmetric metallo phthalocyanines bearing carboxylic acid and tert-butyl groups: Photophysical, photochemical and aggregation properties

In this study, A3B type asymmetric magnesium(II), zinc(II) and indium(III)chloro phthalocyanine derivatives bearing carboxylic acid and tert-butyl groups were synthesized and their photochemical, photophysical and aggregation properties for photodynamic therapy (PDT) application were investigated. In the first part of the study; phthalonitriles, which are the starting materials, were synthesized and then different phthalocyanine compounds were obtained from the synthesized phthalonitriles in the second part. The synthesized compounds were characterized using different techniques. At the same time, the photophysical and photochemical properties of the synthesized compounds were also investigated. The calculated singlet oxygen quantum values in DMSO are 0.30 for MgPc, 0.72 for ZnPc, and 0.62 for InPc in and these values in DMF are 0.25 for MgPc, 0.68 for ZnPc, and 0.60 for InPc after photochemical studies. The obtained results proved that the contribution of the substituents increased the therapeutic efficacy. Finally, our results show that all Pc derivatives have displayed desirable singlet oxygen, photodegradation, fluorescence and aggregation properties for PDT studies.

Synthesis, characterization and photodynamic antitumor activity of amine-modified zinc (II) phthalocyanines

In order to reduce the intramolecular charge-transfer (ICT) effect of amine groups on the photophysical properties of zinc (II) phthalocyanine (ZnPc), tertiary amines were covalently connected with ZnPc ring via ethyl p-hydroxybenzoate or diethyl 5-hydroxyisophthalate. Six new tertiary amine-modified ZnPcs were therefore synthesized and characterized. Meanwhile, the corresponding quaternary ammonium ZnPcs were also synthesized. The effects of different substitution ways (mono-substitutions, symmetrical tetra-substitutions, or asymmetric tetra-substitutions) and the numbers of different substitutions on the photophysical and physicochemical properties of these ZnPcs were studied. All twelve ZnPcs had relatively high singlet oxygen quantum yields (ΦΔ = 0.32–0.68) and fluorescence quantum yields (ΦF = 0.23–0.40), where the amine-containing substituents did not show obvious ICT effect. All ZnPcs showed effective phototoxicity towards breast cancer cells (IC50 = 63–366 nmol/L). Among them, three tetra-substituted ZnPcs containing quaternary ammonium groups (4aN, 4bN and 4cN) showed the best in vitro anticancer photodynamic activities with IC50 = 64–76 nmol/L, which owned to their relatively high cellular uptake. The tumor inhibition rate of 4aN on H22 tumor-bearing mice reached 87% (4aN dose: 3 nmol/g; light dose: 685 nm, 135 J/cm2).

Phenyl-Substituted Cibalackrot Derivatives: Synthesis, Structure, and Solution Photophysics.

Three symmetrically and three unsymmetrically substituted cibalackrot (7,14-diphenyldiindolo[3,2,1-de:3',2',1'-ij][1,5]naphthyridine-6,13-dione, 1) dyes carrying two derivatized phenyl rings have been synthesized as candidates for molecular electronics and especially for singlet fission, a process of interest for solar energy conversion. Solution measurements provided singlet and triplet excitation energies and fluorescence yields and lifetimes; conformational properties were analyzed computationally. The molecular properties are close to ideal for singlet fission. However, crystal structures, obtained by single-crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD), are rather similar to those of the polymorphs of solid 1, in which the formation of a charge-separated state followed by intersystem crossing, complemented with excimer formation, outcompetes singlet fission. Results of calculations by the approximate SIMPLE method suggest which ones among the solid derivatives are the best candidates for singlet fission, but it appears difficult to change the crystal packing in a desirable direction. We also describe the preparation of three specifically deuteriated versions of 1, expected to help sort out the mechanism of fast intersystem crossing in its charge-separated state.

Phenalenone derivatives: The voyage from photosensitizers to push-pull fluorescent molecules

Phenalenone and several phenalenone derivatives have the remarkable capacity to produce singlet oxygen (1O2), via photosensitization, with singlet oxygen quantum yield values close to unity in most solvents. Considerable efforts have been made to obtain phenalenones that red-shifted their absorption but maintaining the high capacity of generation of singlet oxygen.The presence of electron donors on specific positions of the aromatic ring promotes important changes. Herein, with the presence of a dimethylamino substituent in position 3 or 6, we were able to modulate singlet oxygen generation capacity and fluorescence. Both, 3DMAPNF and 6DMAPNF show red-shifted absorption (compared with phenalenone) associated with ππ* transitions. Solvent effect in absorption and emission properties were observed for 6DMAPNF, while that for 3DMAPNF no fluorescence response was observed. Both, show a decrease in singlet oxygen quantum yield with polarity of solvent, always with 3DMAPNF singlet oxygen quantum yield values greater than for 6DMAPN. No singlet oxygen generation was observed for both compounds in H2O.

Sensitizer-controlled photochemical reactivity via upconversion of red light.

By combining the energy input from two red photons, chemical reactions that would normally require blue or ultraviolet irradiation become accessible. Key advantages of this biphotonic excitation strategy are that red light usually penetrates deeper into complex reaction mixtures and causes less photo-damage than direct illumination in the blue or ultraviolet. Here, we demonstrate that the primary light-absorber of a dual photocatalytic system comprised of a transition metal-based photosensitizer and an organic co-catalyst can completely alter the reaction outcome. Photochemical reductions are achieved with a copper(i) complex in the presence of a sacrificial electron donor, whereas oxidative substrate activation occurs with an osmium(ii) photosensitizer. Based on time-resolved laser spectroscopy, this changeover in photochemical reactivity is due to different underlying biphotonic mechanisms. Following triplet energy transfer from the osmium(ii) photosensitizer to 9,10-dicyanoanthracene (DCA) and subsequent triplet-triplet annihilation upconversion, the fluorescent singlet excited state of DCA triggers oxidative substrate activation, which initiates the cis to trans isomerization of an olefin, a [2 + 2] cycloaddition, an aryl ether to ester rearrangement, and a Newman-Kwart rearrangement. This oxidative substrate activation stands in contrast to the reactivity with a copper(i) photosensitizer, where photoinduced electron transfer generates the DCA radical anion, which upon further excitation triggers reductive dehalogenations and detosylations. Our study provides the proof-of-concept for controlling the outcome of a red-light driven biphotonic reaction by altering the photosensitizer, and this seems relevant in the greater context of tailoring photochemical reactivities.

Limitation of room temperature phosphorescence efficiency in metal organic frameworks due to triplet-triplet annihilation.

The effect of triplet-triplet annihilation (TTA) on the room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) in metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) is studied in benchmark RTP MOFs based on Zn metal centers and isophthalic or terephthalic acid linkers (ZnIPA and ZnTPA). The ratio of RTP to singlet fluorescence is observed to decrease with increasing excitation power density. Explicitly, in ZnIPA the ratio of the RTP to fluorescence is 0.58at 1.04mWcm-2, but only 0.42at (the still modest) 52.6mWcm-2. The decrease in ratio is due to the reduction of RTP efficiency at higher excitation due to TTA. The density of triplet states increases at higher excitation power densities, allowing triplets to diffuse far enough during their long lifetime to meet another triplet and annihilate. On the other hand, the shorter-lived singlet species can never meet an annihilate. Therefore, the singlet fluorescence scales linearly with excitation power density whereas the RTP scales sub-linearly. Equivalently, the efficiency of fluorescence is unaffected by excitation power density but the efficiency of RTP is significantly reduced at higher excitation power density due to TTA. Interestingly, in time-resolved measurements, the fraction of fast decay increases but the lifetime of long tail of the RTP remains unaffected by excitation power density. This may be due to the confinement of triplets to individual grains, leading decay to be faster until there is only one triplet per grain left. Subsequently, the remaining "lone triplets" decay with the unchanging rate expressed by the long tail. These results increase the understanding of RTP in MOFs by explicitly showing the importance of TTA in determining the (excitation power density dependent) efficiency of RTP. Also, for applications in optical sensing, these results suggest that a method based on long tail lifetime of the RTP is preferable to a ratiometric approach as the former will not be affected by variation in excitation power density whereas the latter will be.

Diffusion-Free Intramolecular Triplet–Triplet Annihilation in Engineered Conjugated Chromophores for Sensitized Photon Upconversion

The photon upconversion based on sensitized triplet–triplet annihilation (sTTA-UC) is a spin-flip mechanism exploited to recover the energy stored on dark triplet states in conjugated systems. In this process, a high-energy fluorescent singlet is created through the collision and fusion of two low-energy triplets belonging to different diffusing molecules. Its high yield in solution under low excitation intensity and noncoherent light highlighted the huge potential of sTTA-UC to provide a breakthrough in solar technologies. However, its diffusion-limited nature restrains its efficiency in the solid state. To overcome this issue, we propose a single-molecule system that is able to host simultaneously more than one triplet, thus enabling a diffusion-free intramolecular TTA. We obtain the first direct demonstration of intramolecular triplet fusion by tailored photoluminescence spectroscopy experiments, thus opening the way to realize a new family of single-molecule upconverters with huge potential in solar and lighting technologies by accessing the natural triplets’ energy reservoir.

Multi-conformational Luminescence and Phosphorescence of Few Phenazine 1,2,3-triazole Molecules.

Dropcast films produced from blends solutions of phenazine 1,2,3-triazole molecules in very lowconcentrations in a 1,3-Bis (N-carbazolyl) benzene (mCP) matrix were investigated at room tem-perature. The mCP acts as an optically inert matrix, having no influence on the emission propertiesof the guest molecules. Its conductive properties ensure the blend films as completely organic active layers. The fluorescent and phosphorescent emissions of the guest molecules in blue, green, red and also in white are relatively intense, without the need to mix different organic materials. The excitation of the system occurs directly by the incident laser beam on the films. The steady-state spectroscopy for the blue monomer and green dimer singlet fluorescence emissions were investigated. The analysis of their temporal decays was done using a different approach based on the Exponentially Modified Gaussian function. The phosphorescent emissions of the triplet steady-states, in the orange or in the red wavelength regions, were observed to be correlated, respectively, to the formation of guest monomers or to the guest dimers singlet states.

Synthesis, characterization, photophysical and photochemical properties of peripherally tetra-1,2,4-triazol-3-ylthio substituted metal-free phthalocyanine and its zinc(II) and lead(II) derivatives

Phthalonitrile (3) including 4-(4-fluorophenyl)-5-(4-methoxyphenyl)-4H-1,2,4-triazole-3-thio substituent and its peripherally tetra substituted metal-free (4), zinc(II) (5) and lead(II) (6) phthalocyanine derivatives were prepared and characterized by FTIR, mass, 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR spectroscopic data. All studied phthalocyanines had good solubility in common organic solvents and did not aggregate. The photophysical and photochemical behaviors of the phthalocyanine complexes (4–6) were examined in DMSO to determinate their PDT potential. Singlet oxygen, fluorescence and photodegradation quantum yields showed that zinc(II) phthalocyanine (5) has potential as Type II photosensitizer for PDT applications.

Non-Peripheral Octa- Zinc(II) Phthalocyanine: Synthesis and investigation of photosensitizer potential

New compounds 3,6-bis(2-azidoethoxy)phthalonitrile and 1,4,8,11,15,18,22,25-octakis-(2-azidoethoxy) phthalocyaninato zinc(II) were synthesized and characterized by general spectroscopic methods such as UV-Vis, FT-IR, 1H NMR and mass spectrometry. Moreover, photosensitizer ability for photodynamic therapy applications; singlet oxygen photosensitizer, photodegradation and fluorescence abilities of 14,8,11,15,18,22,25-octakis-(2-azidoethoxy) phthalocyaninato zinc(II) molecule were investigated and reported.

Synthesis, crystal structure and biological evaluation of thyroid cancer targeting photosensitizer for photodynamic therapy

With the increasing of thyroid cancer worldwide, there urgently demands new mild theranostic strategies for treatment of recurrence of thyroid cancer to overcome the side-effects of the clinical practices (131I). In this work, photodynamic therapy (PDT) was first explored for treatment of thyroid cancer by incorporating iodomethane choline onto the phthalocyanine through either axial or peripheral substitution. Due to the extraordinary nonaggregation properties in aqueous solution, the axial choline substituted SiPc 1 shows much higher singlet oxygen generation and fluorescence emission than ZnPc 2 and 3 with peripheral substituted cholines. Their photodynamic activities in different type of thyroid cancer cells were clearly compared, disclosing that SiPc 1 is the most promising candidate for PDT of thyroid cancer.

High Triplet Energy Iridium(III) Isocyanoborato Complex for Photochemical Upconversion, Photoredox and Energy Transfer Catalysis.

Cyclometalated Ir(III) complexes are often chosen as catalysts for challenging photoredox and triplet-triplet-energy-transfer (TTET) catalyzed reactions, and they are of interest for upconversion into the ultraviolet spectral range. However, the triplet energies of commonly employed Ir(III) photosensitizers are typically limited to values around 2.5-2.75 eV. Here, we report on a new Ir(III) luminophore, with an unusually high triplet energy near 3.0 eV owing to the modification of a previously reported Ir(III) complex with isocyanoborato ligands. Compared to a nonborylated cyanido precursor complex, the introduction of B(C6F5)3 units in the second coordination sphere results in substantially improved photophysical properties, in particular a high luminescence quantum yield (0.87) and a long excited-state lifetime (13.0 μs), in addition to the high triplet energy. These favorable properties (including good long-term photostability) facilitate exceptionally challenging organic triplet photoreactions and (sensitized) triplet-triplet annihilation upconversion to a fluorescent singlet excited state beyond 4 eV, unusually deep in the ultraviolet region. The new Ir(III) complex photocatalyzes a sigmatropic shift and [2 + 2] cycloaddition reactions that are unattainable with common transition metal-based photosensitizers. In the presence of a sacrificial electron donor, it furthermore is applicable to demanding photoreductions, including dehalogenations, detosylations, and the degradation of a lignin model substrate. Our study demonstrates how rational ligand design of transition-metal complexes (including underexplored second coordination sphere effects) can be used to enhance their photophysical properties and thereby broaden their application potential in solar energy conversion and synthetic photochemistry.

Red haloBODIPYs as theragnostic agents: The role of the substitution at meso position

Three different molecular designs based on BODIPY dye have been proposed as photosensitizers (PSs) for photodynamic therapy (PDT) by the inclusion of halogen atoms (Iodine) at 2,6-positions and with extended conjugation at 3, 5-positions and varying the substitution at meso position. The synthesis is described and their main photophysical features including singlet oxygen production and triplet states were characterized by absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy (steady-state and time-correlated) and nanosecond transient absorption spectroscopy. The results were compared with the commercial Chlorin e6. The three new red-halogen-BODIPYs showed a great balance between singlet oxygen generation (ΦΔ≥0.40) and fluorescence (Φfl≥0.22) for potential application on PDT, and particularly in theragnosis. In vitro experiments in HeLa cells were done to study their performance and to elucidate the best potential candidate for PDT.

Block Copolymer Stabilized Liquid Nanodroplets Facilitate Efficient Triplet Fusion-Based Photon Upconversion in Solid Polymer Matrices.

Sensitized triplet-triplet annihilation-based photon upconversion is a photophysical process that affords anti-Stokes-shifted emission after annihilation of two metastable triplet excitons of an emitter dye and the formation of a fluorescent singlet state. While this process readily occurs in solutions under conditions where the mobility of the dye molecules is high, particular architectures are required to facilitate efficient energy transfers in solid polymers. One possibility is to incorporate liquid upconverting domains into solid polymer matrices. Another possibility is to reduce the intermolecular distance between the dyes below the Dexter radius, allowing exciton migration via triplet hopping. We introduce herein nanostructured materials that combine both of these features. These glassy nanostructured polymer systems contain liquid upconverting nanodroplets that are stabilized with a block copolymer surfactant and are fabricated under ambient conditions in a facile one-step protocol. The dyes concentrate in the nanostructured liquid domains, and this enables hopping-mediated ET and TTA between the dyes and leads to an upconversion efficiency of ∼20%.

Metal-Enhanced Photosensitization of Singlet Oxygen (ME1O2) from Brominated Carbon Nanodots on Silver Nanoparticle Substrates

The deleterious effects of reactive oxygen species (ROS), including singlet oxygen (1O2), on biological systems have cultivated widespread interest in fields ranging from therapeutic techniques to sterilization materials. Researchers have, for example, sought to capitalize on the oxidative damage from singlet oxygen to treat tumors as well as to kill antibiotic resistant bacteria. To generate 1O2 in a controllable manner, photosensitizers are optimized to generate 1O2 from ground state oxygen (3O2) when excited by light. When considering applications of photosensitization, favorable properties include high 1O2 yield, low synthetic complexity, and minimal cost. Previously, studies have shown that plasmonic nanoparticles are able to amplify the photosensitization of 1O2 from small molecule photosensitizers in a mechanism similar to metal-enhanced fluorescence (MEF), thereby improving yield. A recent study from our lab has demonstrated that brominated carbon nanodots, which are an inexpensive and simple-to-collect as a hydrocarbon combustion byproduct, generate reactive oxygen species that can be used for antimicrobial photodynamic inactivation of bacteria. Herein we investigate the combination of these advantageous properties. Using the turn-on fluorescent probe Singlet Oxygen Sensor Green™ to detect 1O2, we report the metal-enhanced photosensitization of 1O2 by brominated dots in silvered Quanta Plate™ wells. These results provide a promising direction for the potential optimization of carbon nanodot-based agents in light-activated antimicrobial materials.

Chlorin e6-1,3-diphenylisobenzofuran polymer hybrid nanoparticles for singlet oxygen-detection photodynamic abaltion

A dual-functional nanosysterm is developed by means of Chlorin e6 (Ce6) as photosensitizer and 1,3-Diphenylisobenzofuran (DPBF) as fluorescent singlet oxygen (1O2) probe. Under 660 nm laser irradiation, Ce6 exhibites efficient 1O2 generation, and subsequently the production of 1O2 is assessed by the ratiometric fluorescence of PFO and DPBF under one-photon and two-photon excitation mode. The nanoparticles with excellent biocompatibility can be internalized into Hela cells and applied for tumor treatment. For intracellular PDT, the nanoparticles perform a high phototoxicity, while the PDT proccess can be evaluated in time by monitoring fluorescence signals of DPBF. This theranostic nanosysterm provides a facile strategy to fabricate 1O2-detection PDT, which can realize accurate and efficient photodynamic therapy based on singlet oxygen detection.

Photodynamic theranostics of central lung cancer: Present state and future prospects.

Endobronchial photodynamic therapy (PDT) in central lung cancer (CLC) shows feasibility even in late stage disease. Our experience with chlorin e6 based photosensitizers (PS), including in combination with medical cancer treatment, demonstrated regression of tumor lesions of the trachea and bronchi in 94 % of patients with central NSCLC. It is possible to increase the efficiency of the treatment and achieve its personalization by using fluorescent bronchoscopes, which provide fluorescence guided PDT - photodynamic theranostics (PT). PT allows to clarify localization the area of treatment due to visualization of tumor foci which are invisible in white light, to carry out targeted irradiation and at the same time to monitor its effectiveness using the effects of bleaching/flare-up of PS. PT prospects are associated with the transition to the near-infrared (NIR) region, which makes possible to increase the depth of light penetration. The first experiments using the combined NIR/visible PT system showed the possibility of detecting tumor sites using the OS-BPT method (On-Site Bronchoscopic Photodynamic Theranostics), which consists in NIR visualization of tumor when indocyanine green (ICG) is injected directly during examination in a minimal dose. This allows the technology to be used for CLC screening in the future. Further progress of endobronchial PT will be determined by the development of clinically available devices and new NIR PSs with targeted properties, high singlet oxygen yield and fluorescence.