Two-Photon Absorption Properties of Self-Assemblies of Butadiyne-Linked Bis(Imidazolylporphyrin)

The third-order nonlinear optical responses of zinc porphyrin oligomers: Cycles vs linear chains

Porphyrins are widely used as potential nonlinear optical (NLO) materials because of their highly delocalized π electrons and feasible synthesis and functionalization with broad biological applications. A variety of linear and cyclic porphyrin derivatives have been synthesized, and the correlation between their structures and NLO properties awaits being disclosed. In this work, the electronic structures and third-order NLO properties of linear and cyclic butadiyne-linked zinc porphyrin oligomers have been studied by quantum chemical methods and sum-over-states model. The static second hyperpolarizability (<γ0>) increases exponentially with the number of zinc porphyrin units ([<γ0>n] = 0.67[<γ0>1]n2.63, n = 2 ∼ 6) in linear π-conjugated oligomers, and the <γ0> of the linear hexamer is about 74 times that of the monomer. Such enhancement of <γ0> in linear oligomers originates from closely-lying frontier molecular orbitals available for low energy electron excitations and strong charge transfer-based excitations across porphyrins. The <γ0>s of cyclic porphyrins are lower than that of the linear hexamer, though the interaction between the ring and the ligand enhances the <γ0> of some cyclic zinc porphyrin complexes. The large two-photon absorption cross sections confer on these zinc porphyrin derivatives excellent candidates for two-photon absorption applications.

Strong two-photon absorption and ultrafast dynamics of meso-functionalized "push-pull"trans-A2BC porphyrins

A new series of "push-pull"meso-substituted trans-A₂BC porphyrins, where A = mesityl, B = phenothiazine (push) and C = o/p-nitrophenyl moiety (pull) and M = 2H, Ni(ii), Cu(ii), and Zn(ii), were synthesized. These trans-A₂BC porphyrins were characterized by various techniques viz. UV-Vis, fluorescence and NMR spectroscopy, matrix assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry, cyclic voltammetry, single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis and density functional theory (DFT) studies. The single crystal structure of the newly synthesized free base trans-H₂A₂BC porphyrin (2) revealed the orientation of meso-substituents and the planar conformation of the porphyrin core. All newly synthesized free base trans-H₂A₂BC porphyrins (1 or 2) and their metal complexes exhibited a sharp Soret band. The first reduction potential of all synthesized trans-MA₂BC porphyrins showed an anodic shift as compared with that of meso-tetraphenylporphyrins (MTPPs) due to the strong electron withdrawing nature of the nitrophenyl group. In general, the first oxidation potential of trans-MA₂BC porphyrins shows a cathodic shift due to the electron donating phenothiazine moiety as compared to that of MTPPs. p-Nitrophenyl appended trans-A₂BC porphyrins exhibited large ground state dipole moment values (8.59-9.64 D) as compared to MTPPs (0.0013-0.052 D) owing to the polarized "push-pull" effect of meso-substituents such as phenothiazine (push) and nitrophenyl (pull) moieties. Femtosecond nonlinear optical (NLO) studies performed with kHz pulses at 800 nm revealed strong two-photon absorption coefficients (∼0.082-0.0953 cm GW^-1) and cross-sections (∼1.71-1.95 × 10³ GM) for these "push-pull" porphyrins. We have also attempted to understand the NLO coefficients in terms of the structural changes in these porphyrin derivatives. A comparison that has been accomplished with similar porphyrin molecules and under similar experimental conditions revealed the superior performance of the title molecules. Furthermore, femtosecond transient absorption studies demonstrated several ultrafast processes from various excited states in these porphyrins, useful for identifying the processes relevant to optical switching applications.

Changes in the absorption spectra and colour of tetraphenylporphyrins after redox reactions

In this study, we have investigated the electrochromic properties including the change in absorption spectra and colour after oxidation and reduction reactions of tetraphenylporphyrin and its metal complexes in dichloromethane. The first oxidation potential is determined from CV measurements, and the reduction potential is estimated from comparison with literature values. Electrolytic reactions are carried out by applying the oxidation potential and reduction potential to each sample solution. The metals used are Ag(II), Cu(II), Fe(III), Mg(II), Mn(III), Ni(II) and Zn(II). Various colours can be expressed after the redox reactions by changing the central metal.

Synthesis and properties of a photochromic perinaphthothioindigo conjugated with two porphyrins

In this study, we synthesized a new porphyrin-perinaphthothioindigo composite in which two porphyrins are connected to a perinaphthothioindigo dye through ethynyl linkages. The UV-vis absorption spectra of the composite showed an absorption peak originating from the trans-isomer at around 730 nm. Upon photoirradiation at 760 nm, the intensity of this absorption decreased with increasing absorption of the cis-isomer around 500 nm. The HOMO–LUMO absorption of the cis-isomer is blue-shifted by ˜230 nm compared to that of trans-isomer due to lack of [Formula: see text] conjugation. The shift by 230 nm is 100 nm larger than that observed for the monoporphyrin-substituted compound, indicating the expansion of [Formula: see text] conjugation by the additional porphyrin.

Stacks of Metalloporphyrins: Comparison of Experimental and Computational Results

Numerous metalloporphyrin stacks have been synthesized and studied. Electronic interactions between constituent metalloporphyrins are able to determine the structures and properties of porphyrin arrays. In 2016, Co(II)-, Cu(II)-, Pt(II)-, and Zn(II)-porphyrins were shown to pack to form dimers as well as trimers. Porphyrin rings were found to strongly overlap with lateral shifts between ring centers. However, no binding energies and electronic structures of these stacks have been reported. We have performed first computational study of the dimers of Co(II)-, Cu(II)-, and Zn(II)-porphyrins, both in vacuum and in two implicit solvents. For all three stacks the configurations with strong overlap of the metalloporphyrin rings with lateral shifts between ring centers were found to be the global minimum structures, ¹A for [ZnP]₂ and ³A for [CuP]₂ and [CoP]₂. Also, open-shell singlets with the same energy or close-lying in energy were found for [CuP]₂ and [CoP]₂. The binding energies were calculated to be significant, from ca. -13 to -39 kcal/mol (gas phase, depending on the computational approach). The computational results showed quite good agreement with the experimental data. The dimers were found to be bound by strong bonding combinations of the monomer MOs which explained significant binding energies computed for the dimers. The shifted dimer configurations could be explained by the way how the monomer MOs preferably overlap.

Disilanylene-bridged BODIPY-based D–σ–A architectures: a novel promising series of NLO chromophores

A novel series of disilanylene-bridged BODIPY-based chromophores have been reported.

Computational design of ZnP(P)4 stacks: Three modes of binding

A large variety of metalloporphyrin arrays, including stacks, have been synthesized and extensively explored for their numerous applications in molecular devices. Motivated by the phenomenon of formation of stacks by regular metalloporphyrins, we performed the computational check of the stack formation between the MP(P)4 species without any linkers or substituents. For this we chose the ZnP(P)4 species as the simplest MP(P)4 compound. Three modes of binding or coordination were found to be possible between the monomeric ZnP(P)4 units. The “convexity-to-convexity” dimer I generally is the most stable compound with the highest binding energy. The dimers II and III are generally bound significantly weaker than the “convexity-to-convexity” dimer I. In the dimer I, the strongly convex shape of both monomer units was demonstrated. The Zn–Zn distances in the dimer I, ca. 3.5[Formula: see text]Å, were computed to be significantly shorter than in two other dimers. This could lead to additional interactions between the metal centers with unpaired d-electrons involved in the formation of such a dimer. In the dimer I significant decrease of the charge was found on the Zn-centers, along with slight decrease of the positive charge on the P-centers coordinated to the Zn-centers of another monomer, and slight buildup of the positive charge on the P-centers not coordinated to the Zn-centers of another monomer.

Overcoming the Achilles' heel of photodynamic therapy

This review summarizes the latest progress in deep photodynamic therapy (PDT), which overcomes the Achilles' heel of PDT.

New approach for post-functionalization of meso-formylporphyrins

An approach for the transformation of formyl groups into areneimidazoles at a porphyrin substrate is developed, allowing straightforward design of new polytopic porphyrinoid compounds.

Synthesis of phosphorescent asymmetrically π-extended porphyrins for two-photon applications

Significant effort has been directed in recent years toward porphyrins with enhanced two-photon absorption (2PA). However, the properties of their triplet states, which are central to many applications, have rarely been examined in parallel. Here we report the synthesis of asymmetrically π-extended platinum(II) and palladium(II) porphyrins, whose 2PA into single-photon-absorbing states is enhanced as a result of the broken center-of-inversion symmetry and whose triplet states can be monitored by room-temperature phosphorescence. 5,15-Diaryl-syn-dibenzoporphyrins (DBPs) and syn-dinaphthoporphyrins (DNPs) were synthesized by [2 + 2] condensation of the corresponding dipyrromethanes and subsequent oxidative aromatization. Butoxycarbonyl groups on the meso-aryl rings render these porphyrins well-soluble in a range of organic solvents, while 5,15-meso-aryl substitution causes minimal nonplanar distortion of the macrocycle, ensuring high triplet emissivity. A syn-DBP bearing four alkoxycarbonyl groups in the benzo rings and possessing a large static dipole moment was also synthesized. Photophysical properties (2PA brightness and phosphorescence quantum yields and lifetimes) of the new porphyrins were measured, and their ground-state structures were determined by DFT calculations and/or X-ray analysis. The developed synthetic methods should facilitate the construction of π-extended porphyrins for applications requiring high two-photon triplet action cross sections.

5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-carboxyl phenyl)porphyrin-CdS nanocomposites with intrinsic peroxidase-like activity for glucose colorimetric detection

Here, we describe the design of a novel mimic peroxidase, nanocomposites composed by 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(4-carboxyl phenyl)-porphyrin (H2TCPP) and cadmium sulfide (CdS). The H2TCPP-CdS nanocomposites can catalyze oxidation of substrate 3,3,5,5-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) in the presence of H2O2 and form a blue product which can be seen by the naked eye in 5 min. The mechanism of the catalytic reaction originated from the generation of hydroxyl radical (·OH), which is a powerful oxidizing agent to oxidize TMB to produce a blue product. Then, we developed a colorimetric method that is highly sensitive and selective to detect glucose, combined with glucose oxidase (GOx). The proposed method allowed the detection of H2O2 concentration in the range of 4×10(-6)-1.4×10(-5)M and glucose in the range of 1.875×10(-5)-1×10(-4)M with detectable H2O2 concentration as low as 4.6×10(-7)M and glucose as low as 7.02×10(-6)M, respectively. The results provided the theoretical basis of practical application in glucose detecting and peroxidase mimetic enzymes.

Synthesis and photophysical properties of a porphyrin-perinaphthothioindigo dye

A new porphyrin-perinaphthothioindigo composite, where porphyrin and perinaphthothioindigo dye are connected though a triple bond, was synthesized. In UV-vis absorption spectra of the composite, absorption originating from the trans-isomer appeared at 655 nm. Upon photoirradiation at > 700 nm, the intensity of this absorption decreased with increase of absorption of the cis-isomer around at 530 nm. The HOMO–LUMO absorption of the cis-isomer is blue-shifted by 125 nm compared to that of trans-isomer due to the lack of π-conjugation. The 2PA cross-section values obtained for both isomers were 2,000 and 700 GM, respectively. The value of 2,000 GM is of the largest class among the values reported for photochromic compounds. The enhancement factors by the connection of porphyrin to perinaphthothioindigo were found to be 3.5–3.9 by measuring cross-section values of bis(TMS-ethynyl)perinaphthothioindigo as the reference compound. Two-photon isomerization of the trans-isomer to the cis-isomer was successfully conducted using femtosecond pulses.

Amplified two-photon absorption in trans-A2B2-porphyrins bearing nitrophenylethynyl substituents

We show that peripheral nitro groups enhance the maximum two-photon absorption cross-section of trans-A(2)B(2)-porphyrins bearing two phenylethynyl substituents by more than one order of magnitude. Maximum values as high as 1000 GM result from realization of suitable conditions for effective resonance enhancement along with a lowering of the energy and intensification of the two-photon allowed transitions in the Soret region.

Two-photon photodynamic therapy by water-soluble self-assembled conjugated porphyrins

Studies on two-photon absorption (2PA) photodynamic therapy (PDT) by using three water-soluble porphyrin self-assemblies consisting of ethynylene-linked conjugated bis (imidazolylporphyrin) are reviewed. 2PA cross-section values in water were obtained by an open aperture Z-scan measurement, and values were extremely large compared with those of monomeric porphyrins such as hematoporphyrin. These compounds were found to generate singlet oxygen efficiently upon one- as well as two-photon absorption as demonstrated by the time-resolved luminescence measurement at the characteristic band of singlet oxygen at 1270 nm and by using its scavenger. Photocytotoxicities for HeLa cancer cells were examined and found to be as high as those of hematoporphyrin, demonstrating that these compounds are potential candidates for 2PA-photodynamic therapy agents.

Synthesis and self-organization of fluorene-conjugated bisimidazolylporphyrin and its optical properties

A conjugated-bisimidazolylporphyrin bridged by bis(ethynylfluorene) was synthesized and organized into linear polymer through self-coordination having mean molecular weights, M_w and M_n, of ~2.1 × 10⁵ Da and ~1.6 × 10⁵ Da, respectively. A large two-photon absorption cross section value of 3.4 × 10⁵ GM (per dimer unit) was observed. This value was comparable to that of the previously reported self-assembled linear polymer consisting of butadiyne-bridged imidazolylporphyrins. The two-photon absorption properties could be controlled by tuning the wavelength and absorption intensity of the one-photon absorption.

THEORETICAL STUDY OF ONE- AND TWO-PHOTON ABSORPTION PROPERTIES FOR THREE SERIES OF DIPHENYLAMINE AND DIFLUORENYLAMINE SUBSTITUTED CONJUGATED COMPOUNDS

The one-photon (OPA) and two-photon (TPA) absorption properties of three series of symmetrically substituted quadrupolar compounds with structure of donor-π bridge-donor (D–π–D) were investigated by time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) based on the Hartree–Fock (HF)-optimized geometrical structures. These compounds were constructed with either phenyl or fluorenyl groups connected by vinylene unit as the central π-conjugated bridges and either diphenylamine or difluorenylamine groups as terminal electron donors. The calculated OPA spectra are dominated by two strong transitions which are attributed to the charge transfers from the donor groups to central conjugated chains. The OPA and TPA transition strength all increase with the extension of conjugated chain length in each series and the corresponding wavelength shifts red in general. The transition strength in either OPA or TPA process also increases from series one to series two or three by replacing the phenyl groups with fluorenyl groups. The intramolecular charge transfers make significant contributions to the TPA activity. According to the three-state model, the enhanced TPA activity comes from the enhancement of transition moment between states–states as conjugated chain increases.

Synthesis and photophysical properties of doubly porphyrin-substituted cyanine dye

New porphyrin-(cyanine dye) composites, in which two porphyrins are bridged by a cyanine dye through triple bonds, were synthesized. In the UV-vis absorption spectra of the composites, the Soret band and Q-band were red-shifted to 436 and 575–640 nm, respectively. The absorption originating from the cyanine dye portion was also red-shifted from 710 nm to 764 nm, suggesting the expansion of πconjugation over the porphyrin and cyanine dye parts. Fluorescence studies suggested that energy transfer from the porphyrin portion to the cyanine dye moiety occurred. The fluorescence intensity decreased with increasing dielectric constants of solvents, suggesting intramolecular photoinduced electron transfer from the porphyrin to the cyanine dye parts. The effective two-photon absorption (2PA) cross-section values were measured using a nanosecond open aperture Z-scan method. The maximum effective 2PA cross-section and two-photon excited fluorescence cross-section values were 33,000 GM and 4,800 GM, respectively, at 860 nm in toluene/pyridine (95:5).

Bisporphyrin connected by tetrathiafulvalene

A new porphyrintetrathiafulvalene composite, where two porphyrins are bridged by te trathiafulvalene (TTF) using acetylene bonds was synthesized. The Q-band of the monomeric porphyrin appears at 590 nm whereas that of the composite is red-shifted to 620 nm and intensified. The Soret band is also red-shifted from 427 nm to 435 nm and much broadened, indicating the expansion of π-conjugation over the porphyrin and tetrathiafulvalene units. The HOMOs and LUMOs were calculated using time-dependent density functional theory. Voltammetric experiments revealed that the first oxidation potential of the TTF moiety in the composite was shifted by +155 mV compa red with TTF in the absence of composite. The effective two-photon absorption (2PA) cross section values were measured by using a nanosecond open aperture Z-scan method. The maximum effective 2PA cross section values were obtained at 760 nm, as 7300 GM in benzonitrile and 5900 GM in toluene. The values obtained in the polar solvent were 1.2 to 1.5 times larger than those in the nonpolar solvent.

Syntheses and nonlinear absorption properties of conjugated porphyrin supramolecules

Self-assemblies consisting of acetylene-linked bisporphyrins with a 4-nitrophenylethynyl substituent and with a phenylethynyl substituent were synthesized. The Q-band of the phenylethynyl-substituted compound appears at 762 nm whereas that of the 4-nitrophenylethynyl-substituted one was red-shifted to 784 nm and intensified. This may be attributed to the participation of the nitro group in the π-electronic communication system. HOMOs and LUMOs were calculated for these compounds using an INDO/S-CI method. The effective two-photon absorption cross-section values of these self-assemblies were measured by using a nanosecond open aperture Z-scan method. The maximum effective two-photon absorption cross-section values of 4-nitrophenylethynyl- and phenylethynyl-substituted bisporphyrins were obtained as 1.2 × 105 GM and 8.1 × 104 GM , respectively, at 890 nm. A 1.5 enhancement factor was obtained by introducing nitro groups, which was similar to the value previously reported for ferrocene- and fullerene-connected supramolecular porphyrin.

Syntheses and properties of acetylene-linked bis- and trisporphyrins toward two-photon photodynamic therapy

Acetylene-bridged bisporphyrins and trisporphyrins having branched bulky bis(carboxylethyl)methyl meso-substituents were synthesized. These compounds showed large effective two-photon absorption cross-section values at 890 nm measured by using a nanosecond Z-scan method. Sodium salt of hydrolyzed trisporphyrins showed broad and red-shifted Q-bands over 900 nm. Two-photon absorption cross-section values of water-soluble dimers in water were similar to, or slightly larger than, those of ester forms evaluated in toluene. Furthermore, the generation of singlet oxygen upon one-photon irradiation for dimers in water was confirmed.

Holstein-Peirls-Hubbard trimer as a model for quadrupolar two-photon absorbing dyes

The linear and nonlinear optical properties of a Donor-Acceptor-Donor system have been investigated by using a two-electron three-point-site model system. Some basic features of electron correlations are included in the model by means of a bi-electronic density matrix. The polarizabilities and second hyperpolarizabilities have been computed with a modified version of the Collective Electronic Oscillators (CEO) method which allowed us to include the electron-phonon coupling. Both singly- and doubly-excited states are taken into account in the computation of (hyper-)polarizabilities. The effects of electron-phonon coupling on the two-photon absorption and on the third harmonic generation in the infrared region are discussed.