Bridged Azobenzene Enables Dynamic Control of Through-Space Charge Transfer for Photochemical Conversion

Through-space charge transfer (TSCT) has become a thriving strategy of modulating photogenerated charges in organic photoresponsive molecular systems for potential applications in luminescence, optoelectronics, and photochemical conversion. Yet fixed configuration between electron donor (D) and acceptor (A) is disadvantageous to mitigate charge recombination undermining their performances. By carrying out first-principle simulations, we proposed a protocol enabling dynamic control of TSCT within a D-A system by use of a bridged azobenzene (BAB), whose configuration is self-adaptive upon photoexcitation. While the Z-isomer of BAB facilitates π-π stacking of D-A pair with designated frontier orbital alignment to ensure TSCT, the E-isomer of BAB breaks that stacking and restrains charge recombination. Further, as a CO₂ molecule is weakly bound to the anionic acceptor, the former goes bent as a result of charge transfer from the latter, suggesting a path for photodriven CO₂ reduction aided by such a donor-switch-acceptor system. Our proof-of-concept study shows the potential of using specific photoswitch to adaptively steer spatial electron transfer within stacked π systems toward photochemical conversion.

The investigation of unique water-soluble heptamethine cyanine dye for use as NIR photosensitizer in photodynamic therapy of cancer cells

In this paper, a unique water-soluble heptamethine cyanine dye as NIR photosensitizer was synthesized to explore its properties associated with potential applications in photodynamic therapy (PDT). In the strategy of designing this photosensitizer, a sulfonic acid was used as a water soluble functional group and linked to the fluorophore through alkyl chains. 4-amino-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-N-oxyl(Tempo) moiety was used as the a nitroxide spin label in obtaining biochemical reaction information in vivo due to it could greatly increase the inter-system crossing (ISC) process for triplet-state photosensitizers and low toxicity. As expected, the photosensitizers performed well in vitro photodynamic therapy. There were a remarkable absorbance band located at 692 nm and emission peaks falls at 762 nm, the quantum yield (Φ_f) was calculated to be 12.12% in pure aqueous solution using ICG as standards. The photosensitizer also has high singlet oxygen quantum yield (Φ_△) for 16.96% with NIR LED irradiation. This photosensitizer can rapidly produce singlet oxygen and exhibit high phototoxicity under NIR light irradiation. It has excellent cellular uptake ability and better cell compatibility. It was also successfully applied in Near-infrared fluorescence imaging and AO/EB staining. In a whole, the organic dye based on Heptamethine cyanine used as photosensitizer has great potential in vivo cancer treatment.

A visible-light-induced “on–off” one-pot synthesis of 3-arylacetylene coumarins with AIE properties

A mild one-pot approach to 3-arylacetylene coumarins with potential AIE activities was developed via photosensitizer-free photocatalysis and thermocatalysis.