Quenching of fluorescence of 2-(2′-pyridyl) indoles upon complexation with alcohols

Non-typical fluorescence studies of excited and ground state proton and hydrogen transfer

Fluorescence studies of tautomerization have been carried out for various systems that exhibit single and double proton or hydrogen translocation in various environments, such as liquid and solid condensed phases, ultracold supersonic jets, and finally, polymer matrices with single emitters. We focus on less explored areas of application of fluorescence for tautomerization studies, using porphycene, a porphyrin isomer, as an example. Fluorescence anisotropy techniques allow investigations of self-exchange reactions, where the reactant and product are formally identical. Excitation with polarized light makes it possible to monitor tautomerization in single molecules and to detect their three-dimensional orientation. Analysis of fluorescence from single vibronic levels of jet-isolated porphycene not only demonstrates coherent tunneling of two internal protons, but also indicates that the process is vibrational mode-specific. Next, we present bifunctional proton donor-acceptor systems, molecules that are able, depending on the environment, to undergo excited state single intramolecular or double intermolecular proton transfer. For molecules that have donor and acceptor groups located in separate moieties linked by a single bond, excited state tautomerization can be coupled to mutual twisting of the two subunits.

Luminescent Iridium(III) Cyclometalated Complexes with 1,2,3-Triazole "Click" Ligands

A series of cyclometalated iridium(III) complexes with either 4-(2-pyridyl)-1,2,3-triazole or 1-(2-picolyl)-1,2,3-triazole ancillary ligands to give complexes with either 5- or 6-membered chelate rings were synthesized and characterized by a combination of X-ray crystallography, electron spin ionization-high-resolution mass spectroscopy (ESI-HRMS), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The electronic properties of the complexes were probed using absorption and emission spectroscopy, as well as cyclic voltammetry. The relative stability of the complexes formed from each ligand class was measured, and their excited-state properties were compared. The emissive properties are, with the exception of complexes that contain a nitroaromatic substituent, insensitive to functionalization of the ancillary pyridyl-1,2,3-triazole ligand but tuning of the emission maxima was possible by modification of the cyclometalating ligands. It is possible to prepare a wide range of optimally substituted pyridyl-1,2,3-triazoles using copper Cu(I)-catalyzed azide alkyne cycloaddition, which is a commonly used "click" reaction, and this family of ligands represent an useful alternative to bipyridine ligands for the preparation of luminescent iridium(III) complexes.

On the origin of fluorescence quenching of pyridylindoles by hydroxylic solvents

Three isomeric 4'-pyridyl-substituted indoles, with the substituent in positions 2, 3 and 7, reveal strong fluorescence in aprotic solvents, both polar and nonpolar, whereas the emission is strongly quenched in water and alcohol solutions. Both viscosity and alcohol acidity play a role in efficient excited state deactivation. The process becomes faster for more acidic alcohols. It can be slowed down by increasing viscosity, which indicates that the proton movement is accompanied by large amplitude motions in the hydrogen-bonded complex. Quenching is not observed upon formation of solvates in which pyridylindoles act as hydrogen bond donors. The experimental results, combined with calculations can be explained by a model which assumes excited state protonation of the pyridine nitrogen atom, followed by twisting of the pyridyl group, leading to a low-energy structure. An alternative mechanism is also considered, in which the excited state proton transfer is accompanied by electron transfer from water or alcohol into a half-filled orbital of the chromophore, which leads to a conical intersection of the S(1) and S(0) energy surfaces.

Photochemical deuterium exchange in phenyl-substituted pyrroles and indoles in CD3CN-D2O

A new mechanism of photochemical deuteration of some phenylpyrroles and indoles is reported. Irradiation of 2-phenylpyrrole (8), 2-phenylindole (9), and 7-phenylindole (12) in CH(3)CN-D(2)O gives rise to deuterium exchange at the C-atoms of the heterocycle and the adjacent phenyl ring. Photolysis of indole (7), 8, 9, 12 and N-methyl-2-phenylindole (10) in CD(3)CN-D(2)O also leads to deuteration at C-atoms with significantly higher yield. The mechanism most probably involves ejection of an electron on excitation and formation of radical cations that abstract D-atoms from CD(3)CN or undergo bimolecular D-abstraction (photolysis in CH(3)CN-D(2)O). The other possible mechanism of deuterium exchange for 7, 8, 9 and 12 may take place via a homolytic N-D cleavage and recombination of the radical pair. Radical cations of 8, 9 and 10 were detected by laser flash photolysis. Steady state and time-resolved fluorescence of 8, 9, 10 and 12 showed that photoinduced intramolecular electron transfer probably does not occur. The fluorescence was quenched by acid and base and the rate constants determined by Stern-Volmer analyses. The estimated pK(a) values for the protonation and deprotonation of the singlet excited states indicated that in neutral aqueous solutions ESPT probably does not take place, additionally corroborating the radical or radical cationic mechanism of deuteration.

A comparative study into two dual fluorescent mechanisms via positional isomers of N-hydroxyarene-1,8-naphthalimides

Three isomers of hydroxy substituted N-aryl-1, 8-naphthalimides based on N-aryl naphthalic anhydride fluorophore have been synthesized. The decrease in fluorescence intensity from ortho to para substitution of hydroxy group on N-aryl reveals that para substituted isomer undergoes ESEC (Excited State with Extended Conjugation) mechanism which is proved by low quantum yield and appearance of dual emission. The ortho isomer, however, has high quantum yield and no tautomer emission, indicating ESIPT (Excited State Intramolecular Proton Transfer) mechanism is not operating. Similarly, all these isomers show strong fluorescence quenching in presence of strong H-bonding solvents like DMSO and pyridine, but there was neither the shift of emission bands nor the appearance of new bands for proton transfer to these solvents. Thus, it also indicates the absence of excited state proton transfer mechanism. Both the ortho isomer, and to a greater degree the meta isomer, showed larger quenching constants (Kapp) with pyridine than DMSO. This trend opposes the hydrogen-bond affinity for these solvents with phenol and points to a 2-point recognition interaction. In addition, a naphthalimide derivative using 2-aminoimidazole was prepared and examined for optimal positioning of a six-membered ring hydrogen bond pattern. No dual fluorescence was observed for this compound either.

7-Pyridylindoles: Synthesis, Structure, and Properties

A series of three isomeric 7-pyridylindoles (7-PIs) are prepared where the pyridine attachment is through C2, C3, or C4. These systems are prepared by a combination of the Bartoli reaction and the Stille coupling with an appropriate pyridyl stannane. By treatment with CH(3)I, the 7-PIs can be converted to their pyridinium salts. Deprotonation at the NH of these salts leads to a zwitterion which, in the 4-pyridyl system, also exists as a neutral isomer. The photophysical and NMR properties of these systems are discussed. All three pyridylindoles are analyzed by X-ray crystallography and shown to exist in different states of aggregation dictated by the formation of intra- and intermolecular H-bonds.

Effect of Hydroxylic Solvent on the Fluorescence Behavior of Some Bioactive 9-Oxo-imidazo[1,2-a]purine Derivatives

The spectral and photophysical behavior of four fluorescent 9-oxo-imidazo[1,2-a]purine derivatives containing pyridyl, pyridylphenyl, phenyl, and biphenylyl substituents at the C(6) position of the tricyclic skeleton is described. The studies were performed in several aprotic and protic organic solvents using absorption spectroscopy as well as steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. The results are also presented of TDDFT calculations on singlet-singlet excitation energies and oscillator strengths for two models of 9-oxo-imidazo[1,2-a]purine, with phenyl or pyridyl substituents, both in the gas phase and in methanol solution. While the derivatives with aryl substituents did not show any significant dependence of their static and dynamic fluorescence properties on the nature of the solvent, the compounds containing a pyridine residue exhibited a remarkable reduction of their fluorescence quantum yields and lifetimes in the alcoholic solutions. The solute-solvent hydrogen-bonding interaction in the first excited singlet state is responsible for the fast radiationless decay rates determined for pyridyl- and pyridylphenyl-substituted compounds in protic solvents. The results of experimental and theoretical studies show that the hydrogen of the alcohols' hydroxyl group and the nitrogen atom of the pyridine moiety are involved in the interaction. The fluorescence-quenching experiments performed for the pyridyl-substituted 9-oxo-imidazo[1,2-a]purine derivative using trifluoroethanol, methanol, and butanol as quenchers revealed that the quenching efficiencies, expressed by the Stern-Volmer quenching constants, correlate with the H-bond donating abilities of the alcohols. The quenching is a dynamic process, and the H-bonded complex formed is nonfluorescent. The experimentally determined and the calculated values of the dipole moment change associated with the electronic excitation indicate that the excited S(1) states of all of the molecules studied in this work have an intramolecular charge-transfer character and that electronic charge is transferred to the C(6) substituent upon excitation. Thus, the ability of the pyridyl substituent nitrogen atom to act as an H-bond acceptor in the excited S(1) state is enhanced. The 6-pyridyl-9-oxo-imidazo[1,2-a]purine presents a novel fluorophore, which, besides its medical applications, may be useful as a sensor of hydroxyl groups in microorganized systems.

Evaluation of pyridoindoles, pyridylindoles and pyridylpyridoindoles as matrices for ultraviolet matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry

In an effort to gain an understanding of the processes governing ultraviolet matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (UV-MALDI), direct comparison was made of the mass spectra of proteins, carbohydrates and synthetic polymers (polyethylene glycol, polyester and polyamide) by using pyridylindoles, pyridoindoles and pyridylpyridoindoles as UV (337 nm)-MALDI-TOFMS matrices in positive and negative ion mode. In order to study the combined effect of the indole N-H and the pyridine nitrogen of the MALDI matrix on the desorption/ionization process in MALDI, compounds were selected that include either or both of these functions in their structure. Within the compounds studied only those that possess simultaneously both functions in a 1,4-relation behave as very good matrices for proteins. These compounds also work as matrices for some carbohydrates and synthetic polymers used as analytes in the present study. Some of the compounds were also found to be useful for the post-source decay (PSD) analysis of cyclodextrins in positive and negative ion mode. In several cases we also examined the matrix behavior of the corresponding N-methylindole derivatives.