Fluorescence quenching studies on the interaction of a novel deepened cavitand towards some transition metal ions

An artificial metalloenzyme that can oxidize water photocatalytically: design, synthesis, and characterization

In nature, light-driven water oxidation (WO) catalysis is performed by photosystem II via the delicate interplay of different cofactors positioned in its protein scaffold. Artificial systems for homogeneous photocatalytic WO are based on small molecules that often have limited solubility in aqueous solutions. In this work, we alleviated this issue and present a cobalt-based WO-catalyst containing artificial metalloenzyme (ArM) that is active in light-driven, homogeneous WO catalysis in neutral-pH aqueous solutions. A haem-containing electron transfer protein, cytochrome B5 (CB5), served to host a first-row transition-metal-based WO catalyst, CoSalen (CoIISalen, where H2Salen = N,N'-bis(salicylidene)ethylenediamine), thus producing an ArM capable of driving photocatalytic WO. The CoSalen ArM formed a water-soluble pre-catalyst in the presence of [Ru(bpy)3](ClO4)2 as photosensitizer and Na2S2O8 as the sacrificial electron acceptor, with photocatalytic activity similar to that of free CoSalen. During photocatalysis, the CoSalen-protein interactions were destabilized, and the protein partially unfolded. Rather than forming tens of nanometer sized CoOx nanoparticles as free CoSalen does under photocatalytic WO conditions, the CB5 : CoSalen ArM showed limited protein cross-linking and remained soluble. We conclude that a weak, dynamic interaction between a soluble cobalt species and apoCB5 was formed, which generated a catalytically active adduct during photocatalysis. A detailed analysis was performed on protein stability and decomposition processes during the harsh oxidizing reaction conditions of WO, which will serve for the future design of WO ArMs with improved activity and stability.

Anodic Polymerization of Phenylphenols in Methyl Isobutyl Ketone and Mesityl Oxide: Incorporation of a Cavitand into the Layers Formed for Sensing Phenols in Organic Media

The electropolymerization of three phenylphenol isomers was studied in methyl isobutyl ketone and mesityl oxide, and the remarkable differences highlighted the importance of the carbon–carbon double bond in mesityl oxide. In the case of each substrate, a brownish deposit formed during the electrooxidation. The obvious difference between the polymers formed from the two solvents was recognized via voltammetric signal enhancement of 4-methoxyphenol and 4-chlorophenol, and it was only observed in the case of mesityl oxide. The experiments highlighted that incorporation of a cavitand with biphenyl groups on the upper rim of the polymers of phenylphenols improved the results to a small extent. The cavitand was, itself, electroactive without any fouling effect. As 2-phenylphenol is by far the cheapest of the three isomers, a cavitand was incorporated into its polymer, which was exploited to solve analytical problems while mesityl oxide was used as solvent. Useful quantifications were achieved in organic solvents; however, it failed under aqueous conditions due to the high hydrophobicity of the deposit. Application of differential pulse voltammetry for 4-methoxyphenol and 4-chlorophenol gave detection limits of 9.28 and 50.8 μM in acetonitrile, respectively. This procedure resulted in the immobilization of cavitand derivatives onto the electrode’s surface, and the layer formed offered selective sensing of phenols by electrochemical methods.

Fluorescent cyclophanes and their applications

With the serendipitous discovery of crown ethers by Pedersen more than half a century ago and the subsequent introduction of host-guest chemistry and supramolecular chemistry by Cram and Lehn, respectively, followed by the design and synthesis of wholly synthetic cyclophanes-in particular, fluorescent cyclophanes, having rich structural characteristics and functions-have been the focus of considerable research activity during the past few decades. Cyclophanes with remarkable emissive properties have been investigated continuously over the years and employed in numerous applications across the field of science and technology. In this Review, we feature the recent developments in the chemistry of fluorescent cyclophanes, along with their design and synthesis. Their host-guest chemistry and applications related to their structure and properties are highlighted.

A novel polythioether-based rhodamine B fluorescent probe via successive click reaction and its application in iron ion detection and cell imaging

Polythioether has good chemical stability and biocompatibility and is a kind of promising polymers for the application of optical materials, medical materials and energy conversion materials. However, the fluorescent probe based on polythioether is still rare. Herein, a series of polythioether based polymer fluorescent probes were synthesized by successive thiol click reaction under ultraviolet light at room temperature. The poly(thioether)s have good selectivity and responsiveness to iron ions and can be applied in cell imaging, which indicate that the broad application prospects of polythioether-based fluorescent probes in ion detection and bioimaging.

Execution of julolidine based derivative as bifunctional chemosensor for Zn2+ and Cu2+ ions: Applications in bio-imaging and molecular logic gate

A simple julolidine based chemosensor (JT) was designed and synthesized by single condensation step. JT displayed excellent selectivity and sensitivity with on-off responses towards Zn²⁺ and Cu²⁺ over other biologically relevant metal ions in aqueous media. Upon addition of Zn²⁺ ions, JT exhibited a significant blue shift in emission followed by turn-on enhancement while with Cu²⁺, the fluorescence intensity of JT was completely vanished. The 1:1 binding affinity between JT and Zn²⁺/Cu²⁺ was proposed by Job's plot analysis. The detection limit for Zn²⁺ and Cu²⁺ ions reached at 3.5 × 10^-8 M and 1.46 × 10^-6 M, respectively. The sensing mechanism of JT with Zn²⁺/Cu²⁺ was supported by DFT calculations. Based on photophysical studies and its reversibility environment with EDTA, molecular logic gates were fabricated. Furthermore, JT was successfully established to detect intracellular Zn²⁺ ions in live cells by turn-on response.

A novel ferrocenyl–naphthalimide as a multichannel probe for the detection of Cu(ii) and Hg(ii) in aqueous media and living cells

The first reported probe that has been used for the bifunctional fluorescent monitoring Cu²⁺ and Hg²⁺ ions in living cells.

Chromo/Fluorogenic Detection of Co(2+), Hg(2+) and Cu(2+) by the Simple Schiff Base Sensor

Herein, we reported the ditriazole Schiff base derivative 1 and evaluated its photophysical properties on induction of varieties of metal ions including Na(+), Ag(+), Ni(2+), Mn(2+), Pd(2+), Co(2+), Hg(2+), Cu(2+), Pb(2+), Cd(2+), Zn(2+), Sn(2+), Fe(2+), Fe(3+), Cr(3+) and Al(3+), in order to figure out its potential as ion sensor. The ligand 1 exhibited the strong colorimetric change in the reaction solution as well as absorption spectral shifting with the concomitant appearance of well-defined isosbestic points only upon Co(2+), Hg(2+) and Cu(2+) addition corroborates its applicability as multichannel ion detector. The different extent of spectral shifting as well as unique chromogenic change in the probe solution upon Co(2+), Hg(2+) and Cu(2+) introduction can be used as the discrimination tool for these metal ions. The ligand-metal binding stoichiometry was assessed by their optical response which was further supported by the FT-IR, NMR and mass spectrometric analysis. The association constant and the detection limits of the ligand toward Co(2+), Hg(2+) and Cu(2+) ions were calculated to be 1.52 × 10(-8), 3.26 × 10(-9), 1.16 × 10(-8) and 3.87 × 10(-10), 5.47 × 10(-11), 8.91 × 10(-11) M, respectively, employing the Benesi-Hilderbrand equation and 3 σ slope(-1) methods. Furthermore, the successive addition of Co(2+), Hg(2+) and Cu(2+) induce the constant decline in the fluorescence emission signal intensity of the probe. The quenching efficiency of the probe upon metallic induction was fitted to the Stern-Volmer equation which yielded the upward curvature in case of all the three metals ions (Co(2+), Hg(2+) and Cu(2+)) when (Io/I-1) was plotted against the quencher concentration indicating the occurrence of both the dynamic and static quenching process in the system with the average Stern-Volmer quenching constant values of 9.25 × 10(-7), 1.14 × 10(-7), 1.829 × 10(-7), respectively.

Optical sensor: a promising strategy for environmental and biomedical monitoring of ionic species

In this review, we cover the recent developments in fluorogenic and chromogenic sensors for Cu²⁺, Fe²⁺/Fe³⁺, Zn²⁺and Hg²⁺.

Nickel complex with internal bases as efficient molecular catalyst for photochemical H2 production

A Ni complex with internal bases that contain bipyridine-derived ligands, [Ni(L)2 (H2 O)2 ](BF4 )2 ([1](BF4 )2 , L=2-(2-pyridyl)-1,8-naphthyridine), and a reference complex that bears analogous bipyridine-derived ligands but without an internal base, [Ni(L')3 ](BF4 )2 ([2](BF4 )2 , L'=2-(2-pyridyl)quinoline), were synthesized and characterized. The electrochemical properties of these complexes were studied in CH3 CN, H2 O, and a mixture of EtOH/H2 O. The fluorescence spectroscopic studies suggest that both dynamic and the sphere-of-action static quenching exist in the fluorescein Fl(2-) /[1](2+) and Fl(2-) /[2](2+) systems. These noble-metal-free molecular systems were studied for photocatalytic H2 generation. Under optimal conditions, the turnover number of H2 evolution reaches 3230 based on [1](2+) , whereas [2](2+) displays only approximately one third of the turnover of [1](2+) . A plausible mechanism for the catalytic H2 generation by [1](2+) is presented based on DFT calculations.

Cascade OFF–ON–OFF fluorescent probe: dual detection of trivalent ions and phosphate ions

A new rhodamine B-based fluorescent probe was developed for the selective cascade signaling of trivalent cations (Fe³⁺, Al³⁺, Cr³⁺) and phosphate anion (PO₄³⁻).