Lanthanide tags for time-resolved luminescence microscopy displaying improved stability and optical properties

Bimodal System (Luminophore and Paramagnetic Contrastophore) Derived from Ln(III) Complexes Based on a Bipyridine-Containing Macrocyclic Ligand

The synthesis of a new 15-membered polyaza-macrocyclic ligand L3H3, which is based on a 2,2'-bipyridine moiety and a diethylenetriaminetriacetic acid core, is reported. The lanthanide chelates of this octadentate ligand were programmed for bimodal probes, luminescent agents (Sm, Eu, Tb, Dy), and magnetic resonance imaging agents (Gd3+). The neutral 1:1 complexes with these Ln3+ ions were prepared and studied in aqueous solution by luminescence and NMR techniques. The main photophysical characteristics of these complexes (i.e., the absorption and luminescence spectra, the metal-centered lifetimes, and the overall luminescence yields, Phi) were measured. In addition, the role played by nonradiative pathways (vibrational energy transfer involving coordinated water molecules, involvement of ligand-to-metal charge-transfer excited states, or metal --> ligand back transfer) is discussed. The L3.Eu and L3.Tb complexes show very bright luminescence when photoexcited from the lowest-energy absorption band of the bipyridine chromophore. The luminescence quantum yields in an air-equilibrated water solution at room temperature are 0.10 and 0.21, respectively, despite the presence of one water molecule in the first coordination sphere of the metal ion. NMR data show that L3.Gd contains also one H2O molecule in the inner sphere. The proton longitudinal relaxivity, r1, of this complex is 3.4 s(-1) mM(-1) (0.47 T, 310 K) and the rotational correlation time, tau(R), is 57 ps (310 K). These values are comparable to those of the clinically used Gd-DTPA. Interestingly, the water exchange rate between the coordination site and the bulk solvent is slow (tau(M) = 3.5 micros at 310 K). The presence of water molecules in the second sphere and in rapid exchange with the solvent is discussed. Finally, it was found by luminescence and NMR experiments that these lanthanide complexes are stable versus transmetalation by several cations (especially Ca2+ and Zn2+) at physiological pH and have no interaction with blood proteins.

Influence of Anionic Functions on the Coordination and Photophysical Properties of Lanthanide(III) Complexes with Tridentate Bipyridines

A series of four ligands based on a 5'-methyl-2,2'-bipyridyl framework substituted in the 6 position by a carboxylic acid, a phosphonic acid, a monoethyl ester phosphonic acid, or a diethyl ester phosphonic acid are described. The pK(a) values of all ligands and their assignments are determined by a combination of UV-vis absorption spectroscopy and (1)H and (31)P NMR spectroscopy. The ability of the tridentate ligands to form complexes with trivalent lanthanide cations (Ln = La, Nd, Eu, and Lu) in buffered water solutions (Tris-HCl, pH = 7.4) is studied by UV-vis absorption spectroscopy and (1)H NMR. While the two ester ligands display a weak coordination ability toward lanthanide cations, the acid ligands form stable complexes with 1:1, 1:2, and 1:3 Ln/L ratios. A weak selectivity is observed for the middle of the lanthanide series, and the complexes of the phosphonic acid derivative are up to 2 orders of magnitude more stable than those of the carboxylic acid ligand. Photophysical properties of the free phosphonic and carboxylic acid ligands and of their complexes with La, Eu, Gd, Tb, and Lu are investigated in buffered aqueous solutions both at room temperature and 77 K. An efficient ligand-to-metal energy transfer is observed for both the Eu and Tb complexes. Despite a relatively large energy gap between the ligand-centered (3)pipi* and the Eu((5)D(0)) or Tb((5)D(4)) emitting states, the metal-centered luminescence is well sensitized with quantum yields reaching up to 45.5 and 42.2% for the Tb 1:3 complexes with carboxylic and phosphonic acid ligands, respectively.

Engineering of Highly Luminescent Lanthanide Tags Suitable for Protein Labeling and Time-Resolved Luminescence Imaging

The synthesis of a new ligand LH(4) based on a glutamic acid skeleton bis-functionalized on its nitrogen atom by 6-methylene-6'-carboxy-2,2'-bipyridine chromophoric units is described. UV-vis spectrophotometric titrations revealed the formation of 1:1 M:L complexes with lanthanide(III) cations, and complexation of LH(4) with equimolar amounts of hydrated LnCl(3) salts (Ln = Eu, Gd, and Tb) gave water-soluble and stable complexes of the general formula [LnL(H(2)O)]Na, which were characterized by elemental analysis, IR, UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, (1)H NMR (Ln = Eu), and mass spectrometry. The conditional stability constant for formation of the [EuL(H(2)O)]Na complex was determined by competitive complexation experiments to be log K = 16.5 +/- 0.6 in 0.01 M TRIS/HCl buffer (pH = 7.0). In water solution, the [EuL(H(2)O)]Na and [TbL(H(2)O)]Na complexes were highly luminescent with quantum yields of 8% and 31%, respectively, despite the presence of ca. one water molecule in the first coordination sphere of the metal ions. Activation of the appended carboxylate function of the glutamate moiety in the form of an N-hydroxysuccinimidyl ester allows for the covalent linking of the complexes to primary amino groups of biological compounds. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) was labeled with both Eu or Tb complexes, and the Ln-BSA conjugates were characterized by UV-vis absorption and emission spectroscopy and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Labeling ratios (number of complex molecules per BSA) of ca. 8:1 and 7:1 were established for Eu-BSA and Tb-BSA, respectively. The suitability of the tagged compound for use in bioanalytical time-resolved luminescence microscopy was established by comparison with fluorescein-labeled probes.

The First Enantiomerically Pure Helical Noncovalent Tripod for Assembling Nine-Coordinate Lanthanide(III) Podates

Decomplexation of the trivalent lanthanide, Ln(III), from the racemic bimetallic triple-stranded helicates [LnCr(L8)(3)](6+) provides the inert chiral tripodal nonadentate receptor [Cr(L8)(3)](3+). Elution of the latter podand with Na(2)Sb(2)[(+)-C(4)O(6)H(2)](2).5H(2)O through a cation exchange column allows its separation into its inert helical enantiomers M-(+)(589)-[Cr(L8)(3)](3+) and P-(-)(589)-[Cr(L8)(3)](3+), whose absolute configurations are assigned by using CD spectroscopy and exciton theory. Recombination with Ln(III) restores the original triple-stranded helicates [LnCr(L8)(3)](6+), and the associated thermodynamic parameters unravel the contribution of electrostatic repulsion and preorganization to the complexation process. Combining M-(+)(589)-[Cr(L8)(3)](3+) with Eu(III) produces the enantiomerically pure d-f helicate MM-(-)(589)-[EuCr(L8)(3)](CF(3)SO(3))(6).4CH(3)CN, whose X-ray crystal structure (EuCrC(113)H(111)N(25)O(21)S(6)F(18), monoclinic, P2(1), Z = 2) unambiguously confirms the absolute left-handed configuration for the final helix. The associated ligand-centered and metal-centered chiro-optical properties recorded for the complexes MM-[LnCr(L8)(3)](6+) and PP-[LnCr(L8)(3)](6+) (Ln = Eu, Gd, Tb) show a strong effect of helicity on specific rotary dispersions, CD and CPL spectra.

Pyrene-sensitised near-IR luminescence from ytterbium and neodymium complexes

Ytterbium and neodymium have been shown to exhibit sensitised emission following excitation of pyrene chromophores. Sensitised emission is demonstrated in self-assembled complexes and in azamacrocycle derivatives bearing pendent pyrene groups. Energy transfer in these systems is dependent on the nature of the link between the ligand and the complex.

Lanthanide-sensitized lanthanide luminescence: terbium-sensitized ytterbium luminescence in a trinuclear complex

A heterotrinuclear lanthanide complex has been prepared which contains two terbium ions in DO3A-derived binding sites and a single ytterbium ion in a DTPA-like site. The luminescence properties of the system have been investigated, showing that the terbium remains in a seven-coordinate binding site throughout the synthesis, while the ytterbium occupies the eight-coordinate site. Pumping the 488 nm absorption band of the terbium ion results in energy transfer to ytterbium with emission at 980 nm.

Connecting terminal carboxylate groups in nine-coordinate lanthanide podates: consequences on the thermodynamic, structural, electronic, and photophysical properties

The hydrolysis of terminal (t)butyl-ester groups provides the novel nonadentate podand tris[2-[N-methylcarbamoyl-(6-carboxypyridine-2)-ethyl]amine] (L13) which exists as a mixture of slowly interconverting conformers in solution. At pH = 8.0 in water, its deprotonated form [L13 - 3H](3-) reacts with Ln(ClO(4))(3) to give the poorly soluble and stable podates [Ln(L13 - 3H)] (log(beta(110)) = 6.7-7.0, Ln = La-Lu). The isolated complexes [Ln(L13 - 3H)](H(2)O)(7) (Ln = Eu, 8; Tb, 9; Lu, 10) are isostructural, and their crystal structures show Ln(III) to be nine-coordinate in a pseudotricapped trigonal prismatic site defined by the donor atoms of the three helically wrapped tridentate binding units of L13. The Ln-O(carboxamide) bonds are only marginally longer than the Ln-O(carboxylate) bonds in [Ln(L13 - 3H)], thus producing a regular triple helix around Ln(III) which reverses its screw direction within the covalent Me-TREN tripod. High-resolution emission spectroscopy demonstrates that (i) the replacement of terminal carboxamides with carboxylates induces only minor electronic changes for the metallic site, (ii) the solid-state structure is maintained in water, and (iii) the metal in the podate is efficiently protected from interactions with solvent molecules. The absolute quantum yields obtained for [Eu(L13 - 3H)] (Phi(Eu)(tot)= 1.8 x 10(-3)) and [Tb(L13 - 3H)] (Phi(Eu)(tot)= 8.9 x 10(-3)) in water remain modest and strongly contrast with that obtained for the lanthanide luminescence step (Phi(Eu) = 0.28). Detailed photophysical studies assign this discrepancy to the small energy gap between the ligand-centered singlet ((1)pi pi*) and triplet ((3)pi pi*) states which limits the efficiency of the intersystem crossing process. Theoretical TDDFT calculations suggest that the connection of a carboxylate group to the central pyridine ring prevents the sizable stabilization of the triplet state required for an efficient sensitization process. The thermodynamic and electronic origins of the advantages (stability, lanthanide quantum yield) and drawbacks (solubility, sensitization) brought by the "carboxylate effect" in lanthanide complexes are evaluated for programming predetermined properties in functional devices.

Triamidotriazacyclononane complexes of group 3 metals. Synthesis and crystal structures

Reaction of yttrium and lanthanide trichlorides (Ln = La, Eu, Yb) with 1 equiv of the trisodium salt of 1,4,7-tris(dimethylsilylaniline)-1,4,7-triazacyclononane (Na(3)[(SiMe(2)NPh)(3)-tacn](THF)(2)) gives good yields of the compounds [M[(SiMe(2)NPh)(3)-tacn]] (M = Y (1), Eu (3), Yb (4)) and [La[(SiMe(2)NPh)(3)-tacn](THF)] (2). Reduction of 3 with Na/Hg followed by recrystallization in the presence of diglyme yielded crystals of [Eu[(SiMe(2)NPh)(3)-tacn]][Na(diglyme)(2)] (5). Synthesis of the uranium(III) complex [U[(SiMe(2)NPh)(3)-tacn]] (6) is achieved by reaction of 1 equiv of Na(3)[(SiMe(2)NPh)(3)-tacn](THF)(2) with uranium triiodide. The U(IV) complexes, [U[(SiMe(2)NPh)(3)-tacn]X] (X = Cl (7); I (8)), were prepared via oxidation of 6 with benzyl chloride or I(2), but salt metathesis from UCl(4) provided a higher yield route for 7. The solid-state structures of 1-7 were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The ligand [(SiMe(2)NPh)(3)-tacn] generates a trigonal prismatic coordination environment for the metal center in the neutral complexes 1, 3, 4, and 6 and the ionic 5. In 2 the six nitrogen atoms of the ligand are in a trigonal prismatic configuration with the oxygen atom of the THF capping one of the triangular faces of the trigonal prism. In 7 the coordination geometry around the uranium atom is best described as bicapped trigonal bipyramidal.

Assembly of hydrophobic shells and shields around lanthanides

Luminescent lanthanide complexes have been developed, based on the assembly of bulky ligands around the lanthanide ion, to provide shell-type protection of the ion from coordinated solvent molecules. Aryl-functionalised imidodiphosphinate ligands (tpip and Metpip) provide a bidentate anionic site that leads to hexa-coordinate lanthanide complexes in which the aryl groups surround the ion. There are twelve phenyl groups around the lanthanide that act as "remote" (from the binding site) sensitisers for the metal ion. It is shown that these ligands are suitable for sensitising luminescence for all the lanthanides that emit in the visible range, namely, SmIII, EuIII, TbIII, DyIII. A "builtin" shield on the ligand is designed to provide a complete block of the approach of water to the lanthanide ion. The synthesis of the ligands and their lanthanides complexes as well as detailed photophysical studies of the complexes in solution and in the solid-state are presented.

Direct synthesis of imines from gem-dibromomethylaryl derivatives: application to unsymmetrically substituted bipyridine frameworks

An efficient methodology for the one-pot synthesis of imines is described starting from gem-dibromomethylaryl compounds and primary amines. The synthesis was applied to various aliphatic mono- and polyamines as well as to electron-rich anilines. The protocol was extended to 6-bromo-5'-dibromomethyl-2,2'-bipyridine to afford the corresponding imines. With n-propyl- and n-decylamine, further conversion, in three steps, to the corresponding 6-carboxy-5'-alkylaminomethyl-2,2'-bipyridine derivatives was selectively achieved, providing new tridentate ligands that may find interesting applications for the complexation of lanthanide(III) cations in their anionic or zwitterionic form.

5'-substituted-6-carboxylic-2,2'-bipyridine acid: a pivotal architecton for building preorganized ligands

A set of ligands bearing 6-bromo-2,2'-bipyridine pendant arms attached in the 5'-position are described. Transformation of the bromo to an ester was performed by a carboethoxylation reaction promoted by low-valent Pd(0), while saponification followed by acidification gave the acids. The introduction of an appended function 3-nitrobenzyl, benzamidomethyl, and tert-butylacetyl opens the way to further functionalize these scaffolds for potential labeling of biological material. The synthetic protocols represent a valuable approach to the rational design of ligands bearing oxophilic and anionic sidearms.