Ultrafast Branching of Reaction Pathways in 2-(2′-Hydroxyphenyl)benzothiazole in Polar Acetonitrile Solution

The solvent-regulated excited state reaction mechanism of 2-(2'-hydroxyphenyl)benzothiazole aggregates

The excited state relaxation dynamics of 2-(2'-hydroxyphenyl)benzothiazole (HBT) in the gas phase and the solvents have been explored experimentally and theoretically. However, the fundamental mechanism of its emission in aggregates is still unexplored. In this article, we have presented a detail investigation of solvent-regulated excited state (ES) reactions for HBT aggregates with the aid of several experimental and theoretical research. The careful investigation of solvatochromic and electrochemical behavior elucidates that the emission around 460 nm of HBT in DMSO and DMSO-water fraction correspond to the excited state internal charge transfer (ESICT). The quantum chemical analysis further supports this observation. The concentration-dependent 1H NMR and emission studies of HBT in DMSO revealed the formation of aggregates at higher concentrations that facilitate the charge transfer. The emission pattern of HBT in the AcN-water fraction demonstrates that the sequential internal charge transfer-proton transfer (ESICT-ESIPT) occurs in HBT aggregates. The pH studies show that HBT aggregates are potential ratiometric sensors for near-physiological pH ranges. Moreover, a ground-state zwitterionic conformation of HBT is observed in the basic medium formed by ground-state internal proton transfer (GSIPT). Overall, this study provides a better understanding of solvent-regulated ES reaction mechanism in the case of HBT aggregates and other substituted HBT compound aggregates published previously.

Investigation of Excited-State Intramolecular Proton Transfer and Structural Dynamics in Bis-Benzimidazole Derivative (BBM)

The bis-benzimidazole derivative (BBM) molecule, consisting of two 2-(2'-hydroxyphenyl) benzimidazole (HBI) halves, has been synthesized and successfully utilized as a ratiometric fluorescence sensor for the sensitive detection of Cu²⁺ based on enol-keto excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT). In this study, we strategically implement femtosecond stimulated Raman spectroscopy and several time-resolved electronic spectroscopies, aided by quantum chemical calculations to investigate the detailed primary photodynamics of the BBM molecule. The results demonstrate that the ESIPT from BBM-enol* to BBM-keto* was observed in only one of the HBI halves with a time constant of 300 fs; after that, the rotation of the dihedral angle between the two HBI halves generated a planarized BBM-keto* isomer in 3 ps, leading to a dynamic redshift of BBM-keto* emission.

Turn-On Fluorescent pH Probes for Monitoring Alkaline pHs Using Bis[2-(2'-hydroxyphenyl)benzazole] Derivatives

For surveilling human health, industries, and the environment, pH monitoring is important. Numerous studies on fluorescent probes have been conducted to monitor various pH ranges. However, fluorescent probes that are capable of sensing alkaline regions are rare. In this study, we propose turn-on-type fluorescent probes for detecting alkaline pHs using bis[2-(2'-hydroxyphenyl)benzazole] (bis(HBX)) derivatives. These probes have high pK_a values (from 9.7 to 10.8) and exhibit strong fluorescence intensity and color changes at alkaline pHs. Probes derived from bis(HBX) exhibit good photostability, reversibility, and anti-interference toward pH variations, which can be identified as a certain fluorescence change toward a basic pH. Therefore, compounds would be advantageous to use fluorescent probes for monitoring alkaline pH changes.

Fluorescence Lifetimes of NIR-Emitting Molecules with Excited-State Intramolecular Proton Transfer

Molecular probes based on the excited-state intramolecular proton-transfer (ESIPT) mechanism have emerged to be attractive candidates for various applications. Although the steady-state fluorescence mechanisms of these ESIPT-based probes have been reported extensively, less information is available about the fluorescence lifetime characteristics of newly developed NIR-emitting dyes. In this study, four NIR-emitting ESIPT dyes with different cyanine terminal groups were investigated to evaluate their fluorescence lifetime characteristics in a polar aprotic solvent such as CH₂Cl₂. By using the time-correlated single-photon counting (TCSPC) method, these ESIPT-based dyes revealed a two-component exponential decay (τ₁ and τ₂) in about 2-4 nanoseconds (ns). These two components could be related to the excited keto tautomers. With the aid of model compounds (5 and 6) and low-temperature fluorescence spectroscopy (at -189 ℃), this study identified the intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) as one of the major factors that influenced the τ values. The results of this study also revealed that both fluorescence lifetimes and fractional contributions of each component were significantly affected by the probe structures.

Ultrafast Charge Relocation Dynamics in Enol-Keto Tautomerization Monitored with a Local Soft-X-ray Probe

Proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) is the underlying mechanism governing important reactions ranging from water splitting in photosynthesis to oxygen reduction in hydrogen fuel cells. The interplay of proton and electronic charge distribution motions can vary from sequential to concerted schemes, with elementary steps occurring on ultrafast time scales. We demonstrate with a simulation study that femtosecond soft-X-ray spectroscopy provides key insights into the PCET mechanism of a photoinduced intramolecular enol* → keto* tautomerization reaction. A full quantum treatment of the electronic and nuclear dynamics of 2-(2'-hydroxyphenyl)benzothiazole upon electronic excitation reveals how spectral signatures of local excitations from core to frontier orbitals display the distinctly different stages of charge relocation for the H atom, donating, and accepting sites. Our findings indicate that ultraviolet/X-ray pump-probe spectroscopy provides a unique way to probe ultrafast electronic structure rearrangements in photoinduced chemical reactions essential to understanding the mechanism of PCET.

Absorption behavior of doxorubicin hydrochloride in visible region in different environments: a combined experimental and computational study

The experimental absorption measurements in the interval 350-600 nm (Vis), molecular dynamics simulations, quantum-mechanics calculations and an advanced molecular treatment of simulation data are here combined to provide a complete picture of the absorption behavior in the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum of the doxorubicin hydrochloride (DX) molecule in different environments. By such an approach, we have shown that it is possible to characterize the effect of the environment on the DX absorption behavior - including the vibronic contributions - as well as to interpret such differences in terms of molecular electronic excited states, which are found to be strongly influenced by the environment.

Substituent effect on ESIPT mechanisms and photophysical properties of HBT derivatives

Substituent effects on excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) and photophysical properties of 2-(2-Hydroxyphenyl) benzothiazole (HBT) derivatives have been theoretically unveiled via the density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT (TDDFT). The optimized geometrical configurations and normal mode analyses confirm that the proton transfer processes are more reactive in excited state. Through calculating the activation energies and rate constants of ESIPT processes, finding that the processes are increasingly inactive when substituent group changes from -CN, -CO₂Me, -Cl, -Me, -NMe₂ to -NO₂. In addition, the photophysical properties analyses indicate the vertical transition energies are in good agreement with those observed in experiment. Note that all the absorption and emission maxima of enol and keto forms have the significant red-shift. In order to clarify the substituent effect on ESIPT and photophysical properties, we draw the frontier molecular orbitals (FMOs) isosurfaces and calculate the distances of electrons and holes and atomic charges. It follows that the intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) degrees are increasingly enlarged as substituting from -CN, -CO₂Me, -Cl, -Me, -NMe₂ to -NO₂ groups, which not only causes the red-shift of absorption and emission of enol and keto forms, but also affects the charge distribution of proton donor and acceptor, inhibiting the occurrence of ESIPT processes.

Naphthalimide/benzimide-based excited-state intramolecular proton transfer active luminogens: aggregation-induced enhanced emission and potential for chemical modification

Two ESIPT- and AIEE-active molecules, HPIBT, which is superior to HNIBT, and HPIBT-yl can be further modified through high-efficiency click chemistry.

Benzothiazole integrated into a cryptand for ESIPT-based selective chemosensor for Zn2+ ions

A novel 2(2′-hydroxyphenyl) benzothiazole-based cryptand (L) exhibits high fluorescence intensity in the presence of Zn²⁺ ions by stopping the excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) process with a detection limit of 0.20 μM.

Acid-Induced Shift of Intramolecular Hydrogen Bonding Responsible for Excited-State Intramolecular Proton Transfer

The significant progress recently achieved in designing smart acid-responsive materials based on intramolecular charge transfer inspired us to utilize excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) for developing a turn-on acid-responsive fluorescent system with an exceedingly large Stokes shift. Two ESIPT-active fluorophores, 2-(2-hydroxyphenyl)pyridine (HPP) and 2-(2-hydroxyphenyl)benzothiazole (HBT), were fused into a novel dye (HBT-HPP) fluorescent only in the protonated state. Moreover, we also synthesized three structurally relevant control compounds to compare their steady-state fluorescence spectra and optimized geometric structures in neutral and acidic media. The results suggest that the fluorescence turn-on was caused by the acid-induced shift of the ESIPT-responsible intramolecular hydrogen bond from the HPP to HBT moiety. This work presents a systematic comparison of the emission efficiencies and basicity of HBT and HPP for the first time, thereby utilizing their differences to construct an acid-responsive smart organic fluorescent material. As a practical application, red fluorescent letters can be written using the acid as an ink on polymer film.

Photochemistry and Photophysics in Silica-Based Materials: Ultrafast and Single Molecule Spectroscopy Observation

Silica-based materials (SBMs) are widely used in catalysis, photonics, and drug delivery. Their pores and cavities act as hosts of diverse guests ranging from classical dyes to drugs and quantum dots, allowing changes in the photochemical behavior of the confined guests. The heterogeneity of the guest populations as well as the confinement provided by these hosts affect the behavior of the formed hybrid materials. As a consequence, the observed reaction dynamics becomes significantly different and complex. Studying their photobehavior requires advanced laser-based spectroscopy and microscopy techniques as well as computational methods. Thanks to the development of ultrafast (spectroscopy and imaging) tools, we are witnessing an increasing interest of the scientific community to explore the intimate photobehavior of these composites. Here, we review the recent theoretical and ultrafast experimental studies of their photodynamics and discuss the results in comparison to those in homogeneous media. The discussion of the confined dynamics includes solvation and intra- and intermolecular proton-, electron-, and energy transfer events of the guest within the SBMs. Several examples of applications in photocatalysis, (photo)sensors, photonics, photovoltaics, and drug delivery demonstrate the vast potential of the SBMs in modern science and technology.

An experimental and theoretical study of solvent hydrogen-bond-donating capacity effects on ultrafast intramolecular charge transfer of LD 490

The excited-state intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) of LD 490 were investigated in different hydrogen-bond-donating solvents (α scale) on the basis of the Kamlet-Taft solvatochromic parameters (π*, α, β). The femtosecond transient absorption spectra and the kinetics decay rate reveal that with an increase of solvent's α capacity, the long-lived picosecond process, which is attributed to the ICT, becomes much faster. Combining with time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) calculations, we demonstrate that the enhancement of α acidity substantially increases the electronegativity of the carbonyl oxygen in LD 490, which strengthen excited-state intermolecular hydrogen bonding interactions and consequently facilitate the ICT process.

Excited-State Intramolecular Proton-Transfer Properties of Three Tris(N-Salicylideneaniline)-Based Chromophores with Extended Conjugation

The synthesis and photophysical properties of three tris(N-salicylideneaniline) (TSA) compounds containing 1,3,5-triarylbenzene, -tristyrylbenzene, and -tris(arylethynyl)benzene core units are reported. The TSA compounds underwent efficient excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) in solution and in solid state due to the preformed C=N⋅⋅⋅H-O hydrogen-bonded motifs of the structures. Steady-state fluorescence emission spectra of the TSA molecules revealed dual bands only in DMSO, and large Stokes shifts in other polar aprotic and protic solvents. Femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopic measurements in THF revealed lifetime values in the range of 14-16 ps for the excited-state keto-tautomer. The TSA compounds are also responsive to metal ions (Cu²⁺ and Zn²⁺ ) in DMSO, exhibit enhanced aggregate-induced emission (AIE) properties in DMSO/water mixtures, and are highly luminescent in the solid state.

A 2-(2'-hydroxyphenyl)benzothiazole (HBT)-quinoline conjugate: a highly specific fluorescent probe for Hg(2+) based on ESIPT and its application in bioimaging

A benzothiazole derived chemosensor L has been designed based on the excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) mechanism to afford a fluorescence turn-on response specifically in the presence of Hg(2+) ions over a host of biologically relevant metal ions as well as toxic heavy metal ions. The chemosensor exhibits high sensitivity with the detection limit down to 0.11 μM. The metal binding is supported by (1)H NMR titrations, ESI-MS spectral analysis and substantiated by theoretical calculations using the density functional theory. The probe shows cell membrane permeability and efficiency for the detection of Hg(2+) in HeLa cells.

How To Reach Intense Luminescence for Compounds Capable of Excited-State Intramolecular Proton Transfer?

Photoinduced intramolecular direct arylation allows structurally unique compounds containing phenanthro[9',10':4,5]imidazo[1,2-f]phenanthridine and imidazo[1,2-f]phenanthridine skeletons, which mediate excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT), to be efficiently synthesized. The developed polycyclic aromatics demonstrate that the combination of five-membered ring structures with a rigid arrangement between a proton donor and a proton acceptor provides a means for attaining large fluorescence quantum yields, exceeding 0.5, even in protic solvents. Steady-state and time-resolved UV/Vis spectroscopy reveals that, upon photoexcitation, the prepared protic heteroaromatics undergo ESIPT, converting them efficiently into their excited-state keto tautomers, which have lifetimes ranging from about 5 to 10 ns. The rigidity of their structures, which suppresses nonradiative decay pathways, is believed to be the underlying reason for the nanosecond lifetimes of these singlet excited states and the observed high fluorescence quantum yields. Hydrogen bonding with protic solvents does not interfere with the excited-state dynamics and, as a result, there is no difference between the occurrences of ESIPT processes in MeOH versus cyclohexane. Acidic media has a more dramatic effect on suppressing ESIPT by protonating the proton acceptor. As a result, in the presence of an acid, a larger proportion of the fluorescence of ESIPT-capable compounds originates from their enol excited states.

Direct observation of breaking of the intramolecular H-bond, and slowing down of the proton motion and tuning its mechanism in an HBO derivative

We report on spectroscopic and photodynamical behaviours of 5-amino-2-(2'-hydroxyphenyl)benzoxazole (5A-HBO) in different solutions. The dye undergoes an ultrafast ICT reaction (<50 fs) (comparable to that observed for its methylated derivative, 5A-MBO), in agreement with the results of TD-DFT theoretical calculations (gas phase). Depending on the used solvent, the ICT reaction can be followed by a reversible/irreversible excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) reaction or by breaking of the intramolecular hydrogen bond (IHB). 5A-HBO in n-heptane solution exhibits an irreversible and slow (20 ps) ESIPT reaction, while that of the parent compound, HBO, takes place in less than 150 fs. Compared to excited HBO behaviour, theoretical calculations on 5A-HBO suggest a higher energy barrier (∼4 kcal mol(-1)) between the relaxed enol and keto tautomers, in addition to a less stabilization of the latter, which is in agreement with experiments in n-heptane. On the other hand, in dichloromethane, after the ICT reaction a subsequent and reversible proton motion occurs in an extraordinary slower regime (ns-time scale). No isotopic effect (OH/OD exchange) was observed in this solvent reflecting that the reversible ESIPT reaction evolves along the IHB and solvent coordinates. Using tetrahydrofurane and acetonitrile, we observed a breaking of the IHB due to specific intermolecular interactions with solvent molecules. This leads to the formation of open-enol forms, which undergo an ICT reaction as it occurs in 5A-MBO. These results bring new findings in the coupled ICT and ESIPT reactions. The photobehaviour of this new dye remarkably changes with the solvent nature, opening up the window for further research and possible applications in sensing polarity or H-bonding of media similar to that of the biological ones.

From intra- to inter-molecular hydrogen bonds with the surroundings: steady-state and time-resolved behaviours

We report on the photodynamics of 2-(2'-hydroxyphenyl)benzoxazole (HBO), compared to its amino derivatives, 6-amino-2-(2'-hydroxypheny)benzoxazole (6A-HBO) and 5-amino-2-(2'-hydroxypheny)benzoxazole (5A-HBO) in N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) solutions. HBO at S0 shows a reversible deprotonation reaction leading to the production of anionic forms. However, for 6A-HBO and 5A-HBO, DMF containing KOH is necessary to produce the anions. Excited HBO in DMF exhibits intra- as well as inter-molecular proton transfer (ESIPT and ESPT) reactions. With excitation at 330 nm, we observed the open-enol, anti-enol and keto forms with different emission and lifetimes (620 ps, 1.5 ns, and 74 ps, respectively), while with the excitation at 433 nm, only the anionic species emission was detected (3.7 ns). Contrary to HBO, 6A-HBO and 5A-HBO do not exhibit any proton transfer process, and only the emissions of the open-enol charge-transferred forms (open-ECT) were observed, which are comparable to those of their methylated derivatives (6A-MBO and 5A-MBO). Femtosecond studies of 6A-MBO and 6A-HBO in DMF indicate that an intramolecular charge-transfer (ICT) reaction (∼80 fs) and solvent relaxation process (2 ps) take place at S1. Remarkably, the photoinduced breaking of the intramolecular hydrogen bond of 6A-HBO and the formation of an intermolecular hydrogen bond with DMF molecules occurs in 80 ps, while for 5A-HBO, this process occurs in less than 10 ps. In this study, we have demonstrated that the presence and position of the amino group in the HBO framework change both the S0 and S1 behaviours of the intramolecular H-bonds; a result which might be useful for the design and better understanding of supramolecular systems based on intra- and intermolecular H-bonds.

Broadband ultrafast photoprotection by oxybenzone across the UVB and UVC spectral regions

Recent studies have shed light on the energy dissipation mechanism of oxybenzone, a common ingredient in commercial sunscreens.

Describing excited state intramolecular proton transfer in dual emissive systems: a density functional theory based analysis

The excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) reaction taking place within 2-(2-hydroxyphenyl)benzoxazole (HBT) and two recently experimentally characterized napthalimide derivatives-known as N-1 and N-4-has been investigated in order to identify and test a possible protocol for the description and complete mechanistic and electronic characterization of the reaction at the excited state. This protocol is based on density functional theory, time-dependent density functional theory, and a recently proposed electron density based index (DCT). This method is able to identify all stable species involved in the reaction, discriminate between possible reaction pathways over potential energy surfaces (PES), which are intrinsically very flat and difficult to characterize, and quantitatively measure the excited state charge transfer character throughout the reaction. The photophysical properties of the molecules (i.e., absorption and emission wavelength) are also quantitatively determined via the implicit inclusion of solvent effects in the case of toluene and, the more polar, tetrahydrofuran. The accuracy obtained with this protocol then opens up the possibility of the ab initio design of molecules exhibiting ESIPT for tailored applications such as highly selective molecular sensors.

Excited-state intramolecular hydrogen transfer (ESIHT) of 1,8-dihydroxy-9,10-anthraquinone (DHAQ) characterized by ultrafast electronic and vibrational spectroscopy and computational modeling

We combine ultrafast electronic and vibrational spectroscopy and computational modeling to investigate the photoinduced excited-state intramolecular hydrogen-transfer dynamics in 1,8-dihydroxy-9,10-anthraquinone (DHAQ) in tetrachloroethene, acetonitrile, dimethyl sulfoxide, and methanol. We analyze the electronic excited states of DHAQ with various possible hydrogen-bonding schemes and provide a general description of the electronic excited-state dynamics based on a systematic analysis of femtosecond UV/vis and UV/IR pump-probe spectroscopic data. Upon photoabsorption at 400 nm, the S2 electronic excited state is initially populated, followed by a rapid equilibration within 150 fs through population transfer to the S1 state where DHAQ exhibits ESIHT dynamics. In this equilibration process, the excited-state population is distributed between the 9,10-quinone (S2) and 1,10-quinone (S1) states while undergoing vibrational energy redistribution, vibrational cooling, and solvation dynamics on the 0.1-50 ps time scale. Transient UV/vis pump-probe data in methanol also suggest additional relaxation dynamics on the subnanosecond time scale, which we tentatively ascribe to hydrogen bond dynamics of DHAQ with the protic solvent, affecting the equilibrium population dynamics within the S2 and S1 electronic excited states. Ultimately, the two excited singlet states decay with a solvent-dependent time constant ranging from 139 to 210 ps. The concomitant electronic ground-state recovery is, however, only partial because a large fraction of the population relaxes to the first triplet state. From the similarity of the time scales involved, we conjecture that the solvent plays a crucial role in breaking the intramolecular hydrogen bond of DHAQ during the S2/S1 relaxation to either the ground or triplet state.

Study on the modulation of spectral properties of the formylperylene-methanol clusters by excited-state hydrogen bonding strengthening

In the present work, the charge transfer (CT) process within the formylperylene (FPe)-methanol (MeOH) systems facilitated by intermolecular hydrogen bonding interactions is theoretically studied in both the ground state S0 and the first singlet excited state S1. The geometric structures, electronic spectra and the infrared spectra of the FPe monomer as well as the various hydrogen-bonded FPe-MeOH complexes in both states were calculated with the density functional theory (DFT) method and time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) methods, respectively. It is demonstrated that the total effect of the intermolecular hydrogen bonding between FPe and the MeOH molecules becomes strengthened in the ground state as the number of the MeOH molecules hydrogen-bonded to the FPe molecule increases from zero to three, which induces large increases in the dipole moment as well as systemic redshifts of the absorption spectra of FPe. Furthermore, upon photoexcitation of the FPe molecule, the intermolecular hydrogen bonds formed in the various hydrogen-bonded FPe-MeOH complexes are further strengthened which leads to even larger dipole moments as well as obvious redshifts of the fluorescence spectra. The calculated electronic spectra of the various hydrogen-bonded FPe-MeOH complexes are in agreement with the steady-state absorption and fluorescence spectra of FPe observed in the binary mixed solvents with different MeOH concentration. The intermolecular hydrogen bonding strengthening in both the ground and excited states are further confirmed by the infrared spectra shifts. Moreover, the vitally important role played by the intermolecular hydrogen bonding interaction and its strengthening upon electronic excitation in the CT process is discussed.