p-Nitroterphenyl units for near-infrared two-photon uncaging of calcium ions

Crucial Roles of Leaving Group and Open-Shell Cation in Photoreaction of (Coumarin-4-yl)methyl Derivatives

Photoreactions of (coumarin-4-yl)methyl derivatives have been extensively studied in many fields of chemistry, including organic synthesis and photoinduced drug delivery systems. The identification of the reaction intermediates involved in the photoreactions is crucial not only for elucidating the reaction mechanism but also for the application of the photoreactions. In this study, the photoreactions of 7-diethylamino(coumarin-4-yl)methyl thioester 1a [-SC(O)CH3], thionoester 1b [-OC(S)CH3], and ester 1c [-OC(O)CH3] were investigated to clarify the intermediary species and their chemical behavior. While a radical pair [i.e., 7-diethylamino(coumarin-4-yl)methyl radical and CH3C(O)S•] plays an important role in the photoreactions of 1a and 1b, an ion pair [i.e., 7-diethylamino(coumarin-4-yl)methyl cation, and CH3CO2-] was the key in the photoreaction of 1c. 18O-isotope-labeling of 1c revealed a negligible recombination process within the ion pair. The unprecedented observation was rationalized by the open-shell character of the 7-diethylamino(coumarin-4-yl)methyl cation, whose formation was confirmed through product analysis and transient absorption spectroscopy.

Development of a Two-Photon-Responsive Chromophore, 2-(p-Aminophenyl)-5,6-dimethoxy-1-(hydroxyinden-3-yl)methyl Derivative, as a Photoremovable Protecting Group

Photoremovable protecting groups (PPGs) are powerful tools that are widely used to investigate biological events in cells. An important requirement for PPGs is the efficient release of bioactive molecules by using visible to near-infrared light in the biological window (650-1350 nm). In this study, we report a new two-photon (2P)-responsive PPG, 2-(p-aminophenyl)-5,6-dimethoxy-1-(hydroxyinden-3-yl)methyl, with a donor-π-donor cyclic stilbene structure. The 2P cross section was approximately 40-50 GM at ∼700 nm. The quantum yield of the uncaging process of caged benzoate was greater than 0.7, demonstrating that the 2P uncaging efficiency was approximately 30 GM at around 700 nm. This newly developed 2P-responsive chromophore can be used in future biological experiments. The mechanism of the photo-uncaging reaction via the carbocation intermediate was elucidated using transient absorption spectroscopy and product analysis.

Tris(4'-Nitrobiphenyl)amine─An Octupolar Chromophore with High Two-Photon Absorption Cross-Section and Its Application for Uncaging of Calcium Ions in the Near-Infrared Region

Compounds with high two-photon absorption (2PA) performance in the near-infrared region have attracted great attention because of their application in the material and biological science. In this study, we have developed a simple and novel octupolar chromophore, tris(4'-nitrobiphenyl)amine 1, with three nitro peripheral groups attached to a triphenylamine core via biphenyl linkers. A mono-branched analogue 2 has also been prepared to investigate the effects of octupolar and dipolar systems on photophysical and 2PA behaviors. Compound 1, despite having a much simpler structure than the previous three-branched scaffolds, exhibits comparable σ₂ values, reaching 1330 GM at 730 nm and 900 GM at 820 nm in toluene. Combined with an outstanding σ₂/MW ratio (2.2 GM g^-1 mol) and a high fluorescence quantum yield (0.51), 1 displays potential as a promising two-photon (2P) probe for bioimaging. Subsequently, the ethylene glycol tetraacetic acid-substituted derivatives featuring octupolar (3 and 5) or dipolar (4 and 6) character have been synthesized and their one-photon (1P) and 2P photochemical reactions have been examined. Finally, 1P- and 2P-triggered uncaging of Ca²⁺ from these calcium chelators has been confirmed.