Photochemical consequences of porphyrin and phthalocyanine aggregation on nucleoprotein histone

Kinetic analysis of nitroxide radical formation under oxygenated photolysis: toward quantitative singlet oxygen topology

Reaction kinetics for two sterically hindered secondary amines with singlet oxygen have been studied in detail.

Host-guest complexes of anionic porphyrin sensitizers with cyclodextrins

The photodynamic sensitizers zinc(II)- and palladium(II)-5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-sulfonatophenyl)porphyrins and 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-carboxyphenyl)porphyrin form 1:1 and/or 1:2 supramolecular complexes with native cyclodextrins (CD) and 2-hydroxypropyl cyclodextrins (hpCD) in aqueous neutral solutions. The formation of these assemblies causes a bathochromic shift of the porphyrin Soret band in the UV-vis spectra and a red shift of the fluorescence emission bands. The binding constants span over three orders of magnitude, from 8.1 × 102 M −1 to 5.4 × 105 M −1 (or 1.1 × 106 M −2) depending on the size of the CD cavity and on the functionalization by adding 2-hydroxypropyl groups. The highest binding constants were obtained for hpβCD and hpγCD. The Nuclear Overhauser spectroscopy signals (ROESY) revealed three binding modes: i) inclusion of the porphyrin 4-sulfonatophenyl or 4-carboxyphenyl groups via the secondary face of βCD and hpβCD with sulfonic or carboxylic groups oriented towards the primary hydroxyl groups. ii) inclusion of the porphyrin groups via the primary face of γCD and hpγCD. iii) non-specific binding of the porphyrin monomers or aggregates on the cyclodextrin exterior. The inclusion host-guest complexation via i) or ii) does not influence the inherent photophysical properties of the monomeric porphyrins such as the quantum yields of fluorescence, the triplet states, and the singlet oxygen formation. Due to the deaggregation effect of cyclodextrins, the inclusion complexes remain efficient supramolecular sensitizers of singlet oxygen even under conditions of extensive aggregation in aqueous solutions.

Electrochemical and in situ Spectroelectrochemical Properties of Phthalocyanines Bearing N-Benzyl-4-Phenyloxyacetamide Moieties

The general redox behaviour of phthalocyanines bearing N-benzyl-4-phenyloxyacetamide moieties (H2Pc, ZnPc, NiPc, CuPc, and CoPc) has been identified by cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry on Pt in dimethylsulfoxide/tetrabutylammonium perchlorate. These measurements showed that the complexes indicate subsequent one-electron reduction and oxidation processes. Although the voltammetric measurements implied the association of the redox processes of some complexes with aggregation phenomenon, the complete evaluation of the aggregation effects by only these measurements was not possible. In situ UV-Vis spectroelectrochemical measurements enabled us to assign the ligand- and metal-based redox processes, and identify if the aggregation affects these processes. These measurements suggested that the redox processes of H2Pc, NiPc, and CuPc are coupled by aggregation phenomenon, while those of ZnPc and especially CoPc are not, probably due to the difference in their axial coordinating properties.

Photosensitizer loaded HSA nanoparticles. I: Preparation and photophysical properties

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a promising option in the treatment of cancer. Efficient photosensitizers are available but many of them have insufficient physico-chemical properties for parenteral application. We have established nanoparticles consisting of human serum albumin (HSA) as a drug carrier system for 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(m-hydroxyphenyl)porphyrine (mTHPP) and 5,10,15,20-tertrakis(m-hydroxyphenyl)chlorin (mTHPC), two well-known photosensitizers. Nanoparticle loading was performed in water/ethanol mixtures in the presence of dissolved HSA acting as solubilizer for photosensitizers. The HSA concentration was optimized to exclude precipitation in the nanoparticle suspension and to increase binding to nanoparticles. Additionally, the influence of pH and incubation time on drug adsorption was investigated. A freeze drying method was established for mTHPC loaded nanoparticles and the storage stability of the freeze dried formulation was tested. PDT related photophysical parameters of drug loaded HSA nanoparticles, especially singlet oxygen generation, are presented. Both preparations were able to generate singlet oxygen with low quantum yield. In contrast, efficient singlet oxygen generation was obtained when Jurkat cells were incubated with mTHPP and mTHPC loaded HSA nanoparticles. This indicates that the photosensitizer molecules were successfully released from the nanoparticles that were taken up by the cells. Therefore, the efficiency of HSA nanoparticles as drug carriers for photosensitizers was proven under in vitro conditions.

Electrochemical and in situ spectroelectrochemical investigations into the redox and aggregation behaviours of phthalocyanines bearing octyl 4-phenyloxyacetate moieties

Electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical properties of phthalocyanines (H2Pc, ZnPc, NiPc, CuPc, and CoPc) involving octyl 4-phenyloxyacetate moieties have been investigated by cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry on Pt in dimethylsulfoxide – tetrabutylammonium perchlorate. These measurements showed that the complexes undergo subsequent one-electron reduction and oxidation processes. In situ UV–vis spectroelectrochemical measurements enabled us to identify the ligand- and metal-based redox processes, and evaluate the effect of aggregation phenomena on these processes. The cobalt complex showed both metal-based and ring-based one-electron redox processes, while the other complexes displayed only ring-based one-electron couples. It was observed that the redox processes of H2Pc, NiPc, and CuPc are coupled by aggregation phenomenon, whereas those of ZnPc and especially CoPc are not, probably owing to the difference in their axial coordinating properties.

Classification of Dioxygen Reactions: A Unifying View

Dioxygen reactions in solution were classified into six classes according to two criteria, the way how the spin ban of dioxygen reaction is circumvented and origin of the activation energy - thermal energy or energy of the light quantum.

Interaction of meso-tetrakis(4-sulphonatophenyl)porphine with chitosan in aqueous solutions

Interaction of meso-tetrakis(4-sulphonatophenyl)porphine (TPPS4) with chitosan (Mr approximately 400 kDa, N-acetyls approximately 20 mol.%) was studied in aqueous solutions. UV-vis absorption and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopic titration of 10 micromol l-1 TPPS4 with chitosan demonstrated that an addition of the polysaccharide at appropriate concentrations and pH values induce and support self-aggregation of the macrocycles. The mode of aggregation was strongly dependent on pH: stacking (H-type) aggregates predominated at weak acidic conditions (pH 4.8-6.8) and tilted (J-type) aggregates at pH 2.5. At the intermediate pH value (3.6) both types of TPPS4 aggregates were detected. High amount of chitosan (>0.05 mmol l-1 of GlcN) disrupts H-aggregates forming monomeric porphyrin-chitosan complexes (pH 3.6-6.8), while J-aggregates (pH 2.5) are stable even at very high chitosan concentrations. CD titration experiments confirmed the formation of optically active species of TPPS4 in the presence of chitosan. The complex nature of CD bands assigned to both types of porphyrin aggregates indicated the occurrence of several chiral macrocyclic species dependently on pH value and chitosan concentration.