Styryl dyes. Synthesis and study of the solid-state [2+2] autophotocycloaddition by NMR spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction

Optical Control of Adenosine A2A Receptor Using Istradefylline Photosensitivity

In recent years, there has been growing interest in the potential therapeutic use of inhibitors of adenosine A2A receptors (A2AR) for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases and cancer. Nevertheless, the widespread expression of A2AR throughout the body emphasizes the importance of temporally and spatially selective ligands. Photopharmacology is an emerging strategy that utilizes photosensitive ligands to attain high spatiotemporal precision and regulate the function of biomolecules using light. In this study, we combined photochemistry and cellular and in vivo photopharmacology to investigate the light sensitivity of the FDA-approved antagonist istradefylline and its potential use as an A2AR photopharmacological tool. Our findings reveal that istradefylline exhibits rapid trans-to-cis isomerization under near-UV light, and prolonged exposure results in the formation of photocycloaddition products. We demonstrate that exposure to UV light triggers a time-dependent decrease in the antagonistic activity of istradefylline in A2AR-expressing cells and enables real-time optical control of A2AR signaling in living cells and zebrafish. Together, these data demonstrate that istradefylline is a photoinactivatable A2AR antagonist and that this property can be utilized to perform photopharmacological experiments in living cells and animals.

Pseudodimeric Complexes of an (18-Crown-6)stilbene with Styryl Dyes Containing an Ammonioalkyl Group: Synthesis, Structure, and Stereospecific [2 + 2] Cross-Photocycloaddition

A new efficient method was proposed for the synthesis of (18-crown-6)stilbene; the structure of the product was confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis. In MeCN, this compound forms pseudodimeric complexes with N-(2-ammonioethyl)-4-styrylpyridinium and N-(3-ammoniopropyl)-4-styrylpyridinium diperchlorates via hydrogen bonding between the ammonium group and the crown ether oxygen atoms. The ammonioethyl derivative was synthesized for the first time. The stability constants and spectral characteristics of the complexes were measured by spectrophotometric and fluorescence titration. Photoirradiation of the pseudodimeric complex of (18-crown-6)stilbene with the ammoniopropyl dye resulted in the stereospecific [2 + 2] cross-photocycloaddition reaction. The replacement of the stilbene moiety in the crown compound by a styrylpyridine moiety led to a 5-fold increase in the quantum yield of the photoprocess. The most probable cause for this effect is the presence of photoinduced electron transfer in (18-crown-6)stilbene complexes. This assumption is confirmed by fluorescence lifetime spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations.

Synthesis, structure, and stereospecific cross-[2+2] photocycloaddition of pseudodimeric complexes based on ammonioalkyl derivatives of styryl dyes

Two different styryl dyes form pseudodimeric complexes via hydrogen bonding and stacking interactions; irradiation of these complexes gives rctt-cyclobutane derivatives.

Features of styryl dye crystal packings and their influence on [2 + 2] photocycloaddition reaction with single crystal retention

Only in two of three crystal modifications the initial dye is subjected to the SC–SC [2 + 2]-photocycloaddtion under visible light irradiation.

Influence of the anion nature on styryl dye crystal packing and feasibility of the direct and back [2 + 2] photocycloaddition reactions without single crystal degradation

By X-ray diffractometry, [2 + 2]-photocycloaddition reaction and its back reaction were investigated.

Solid-state [2+2] photodimerization and photopolymerization of α,ω-diarylpolyene monomers: effective utilization of noncovalent intermolecular interactions in crystals

[2+2] Photocycloaddition of olefins is a very useful reaction in synthetic organic chemistry to obtain cyclobutane-containing molecules, which are almost inaccessible by other methods. The reaction, when performed in the crystalline state, occurs more efficiently and selectively than in homogeneous solution due to tight and regular molecular arrangement in the crystal state. Despite numerous examples for the solid-state [2+2] photodimerization of monoenes, however, it is still a challenge to prepare not only dimers but also higher oligomers and polymers from conjugated polyenes, which have multiple reactive double bonds in a molecule. In our recent studies of the solid-state photoreactions of α,ω-diarylpolyenes, noncovalent intermolecular interactions in crystals were effectively utilized to prealign molecules in stacking arrangements, suitable for the [2+2] reaction. With appropriate ring-substituents, [2+2] photodimerization and photopolymerization of the polyenes took place, although the degree of polymerization was relatively low. This review will describe the details of these reactions.