Aggregation studies of dipolar coumarin-153 dye in polar solvents: a photophysical study

Optical trapping of nanoclusters formed in a temperature-responsive ionic liquid aqueous solution under focused near-infrared laser irradiation

Confining molecules and ions at a specific position in a solution enables the control of chemical reactions and analysis of tiny amounts of substances. Here, we demonstrate local condensation of a temperature responsive ionic liquid using optical tweezers. Two kinds of microdroplets are prepared through phase separation or nanocluster formation under irradiation of a near-infrared laser beam. The droplet formation mechanism is discussed in view of the evolution of an optical potential well and the local temperature distribution.

Critical Assessment of Micellar Surface Charge-Dependent Disaggregation and Reaggregation of a Bis-Indole Self-Aggregate: What Should Be Our Case-Dependent Choice?

"Aggregation-caused quenching" is a deep-seated mechanism and has been widely used by the researchers as the possible basis for new sensor development. Contrast to aggregation, its turn around process, disaggregation, has gained much less consideration so far. Unfortunately, study of the further scope for reaggregation of the disaggregated probe assembly in the same solution, as and when required, is still under the rare category. The central theme of the current study is focused on this aspect. For this purpose, the effects of headgroup charge (cationic, anionic, and nonionic) and polarity of the micelles on the degree of disaggregation and subsequent emission amelioration of a synthesized bis-indole derivative, 3,3'-bisindolyl(phenyl)methane (BIPM), are studied using steady-state and time-resolved spectroscopic techniques. The relative emission yield of BIPM (φf = 0.01) is significantly enhanced in the presence of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (φf = 0.21) and polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monolaurate (φf = 0.24), whereas comparatively less emission enhancement is recorded within the sodium dodecyl sulfate system (φf = 0.07). In contrast, addition of an external biophilic agent, uric acid, causes requenching of the enhanced emission because of the reaggregation of the disaggregated probes. Detailed microscopic and calorimetric studies are also adopted to investigate the disaggregation-reaggregation mechanism of BIPM associations. The study will provide prior insights about the use of suitable micellar systems for the required degree of disaggregation as well as for the modulation of emission efficiency by controlled tuning of the disaggregation-reaggregation equilibrium for similar probe associations in pure aqueous medium avoiding any chemical transformation.

Exploring the self-assembly dynamics of novel steroid-coumarin conjugates: a comprehensive spectroscopic and solid-state investigation

The design, synthesis, and characterization of seven novel steroid-coumarin conjugates with diverse steroidal nuclei as lipophilic fluorescent materials for bioimaging applications are presented. The conjugates were synthesized through amidation, characterized using spectroscopic and spectrometric methods, and their main photophysical properties were determined. Dioxane : water titration experiments revealed their ability to self-assemble, forming J-aggregates as evidenced by new spectral bands at higher wavelengths. Monocrystal X-ray diffraction analysis disclosed distinctive aggregation patterns exhibiting J- or H-aggregates for selected compounds. Bioimaging studies demonstrated cell membrane localization for most conjugates, with some of them displaying an interesting selectivity for lipid droplets. Notably, the presence of the steroid fragments significantly influenced both the self-assembly patterns and the cellular localization of the fluorescent probes.

Exploration of the impact of graphene oxide, acetylenic gemini, and CTAT on the photophysical and aggregation properties of dipolar coumarin 153

Advanced spectroscopic techniques have been utilized to study the interaction between the laser dye coumarin 153 (C153) and graphene oxide (GO) nanoparticles. GO was synthesized using a modified Hummers' method and characterized by UV-vis spectroscopy, Raman laser spectroscopy, FTIR-ATR spectroscopy, FESEM, HR-TEM, and XRD techniques. The GO@C153 composite was formed by mixing two aqueous solutions of GO and C153 due to their strong interaction through stacking and hydrophobic interactions. In this case, GO acts as an effective fluorescence quencher for C153 molecules, which undergo H-type aggregation in the presence of GO. The Stern-Volmer equation and time-dependent fluorescence studies were utilized to analyse the mechanism of fluorescence quenching. According to the findings, both static and dynamic quenching processes are responsible for the reduction in fluorescence intensity. The effect of surfactants (both cetyltrimethylammonium p-toluenesulfonate (CTAT) and synthesized N,N'-dihexadecyl-N,N,N',N'-tetramethyl-N,N'-but-2-ynediyl-di-ammonium chloride (16-4-16)) on the aggregation and photophysical properties of the dye was investigated using surface tensiometry, conductometry, UV-vis absorption spectroscopy, steady-state fluorescence measurements, DLS, and time-dependent fluorescence spectroscopy. Surfactants change the microenvironment of the C153 dye, leading to spectrum shifting and a higher quantum yield, which causes a rapid rise in fluorescence intensity in the micellar medium. It has been noted that in a micellar medium rather than in an aqueous one, the luminous intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) state of C153 stabilises. Lastly, we investigated the photophysical behavior of the GO-C153-micelle ternary system and discovered that, in the presence of a micellar medium, the quenched and blue-shifted (H-type aggregation) fluorescence peak of C153 (in the presence of GO) began to intensify once more. The main goal of this work is to create an effective and fairly cost powerful fluorescence sensor. Additionally, the ternary system (GO-C153-micelle) analytical idea can be employed to identify the onset of micelle formation. In wastewater treatment analysis, the GO-C153-surfactant ternary system concept can also be used to regenerate the adsorbent (in this case, GO) from dye molecules by allowing the dye molecules to exit the adsorbent and enter the micellar medium.

White light emission from helically stacked humin-mimic based H-aggregates in heteroatom free carbon dots

White light emission (WLE), particularly from heteroatom free carbon dots (CDs), is unusual. Besides, deciphering the origin of WLE from a H-aggregated molecular fluorophore in such kinds of CDs is a challenging task due to their non-fluorescent character resulting from a forbidden transition from a lower-energy excitonic state. Therefore, rigorous investigation on their elusive excited state photophysical properties along with their steady-state optical phenomena has to be carried out to shed light on the nature of distinct emissive states formed in the CDs. Herein, for the first time, we report WLE from imperfect H-aggregates of co-facially π-π stacked humin-like structures comprising furfural monomer units as a unique molecular fluorophore in CDs, as revealed from combined spectroscopic and microscopic studies, synthesized through hydrothermal treatment of the single precursor, dextrose. H-aggregates in CDs show a broad range of excitation-dependent emission spectra with color coordinates close to pure white light, i.e., CIE (0.35, 0.37) and a color temperature of 6000 K. Imperfect orientation between the transition dipole moments of adjacent monomer units in the H-aggregate's molecular arrangement is expected to cause ground state symmetry breaking, as confirmed by Circular Dichroism (CD) studies, which established helically stacked nature in molecular aggregates and produced significant oscillatory strength at lower energy excitonic states to enable fluorescence. TRES and TAS investigations have been performed to minimise the intricacies associated with excited state photophysics, which is regarded as an essential step in gaining a grasp on emissive states. Based on the observation of two isoemissive spots in the time-resolved area normalized emission spectra (TRANES), the existence of three oligomeric species in the excited state equilibrium of the pure/hybrid H-aggregates has been established. The exciton dynamics through electron relaxation from the higher to the lower excitonic states, charge transfer (CT) states, and surface trap mediated emission in excimer states of H-aggregates have also been endorsed as three distinct emissive states from femtosecond transient absorption spectroscopy (TAS) studies corroborating with their steady-state absorption and emission behavior. The results would demonstrate the usage of CDs as a cutting-edge fluorescent material for creating aggregate-induced white light emission.

Effect of ionic strength on aggregation of nile red and coumarin 30 in aqueous medium: primary kinetic salt effect or salting-out effect?

The effect of ionic strength on the aggregation of planar dyes like nile red (NR) and coumarin-30 (C30) in aqueous medium has been explored. The dyes are known to undergo dimerization, resulting in fading of their respective colors in the visible range. The present study demonstrates that the fading process is accelerated appreciably upon increasing ionic strength of the solution through addition of soluble salts. Experiments consist of variation of cations (Na+, Mg2+ and Al3+) with different valencies in a series of salts keeping the anion same and a similar set with a variation of anions (NO3-, SO42- and PO43-), keeping the cation same. The question of involvement of 'primary kinetic salt effect' or 'salting-out effect' for accelerating the aggregation process has also been resolved. Using Na+, K+ and NH4+ ions with the same counterpart NO3-, our experimental results do not show any differential effect, in terms of making the aggregation process faster, and hence rule out any effect of Hofmeister series on the self-aggregation process. The detailed study explicitly establishes that it is the 'primary kinetic salt effect' and not the 'salting-out effect' that is involved in the present case.

Exploration of Self-Aggregation of Coumarin 7 and Coumarin 30 in Water: Role of β-Cyclodextrin as a Modulator

Steady-state and time-resolved spectroscopic studies demonstrate that two members of the coumarin class of dyes, coumarin 7 (C7) and coumarin 30 (C30), undergo self-aggregation in water. The development of hypsochromically shifted new absorption bands in addition to the existing monomer bands with an increase in concentration of the dyes in an aqueous medium suggests that the aggregates are of H-type. An absorption-based kinetic study reveals that the rate of aggregation of C30 is an order of magnitude faster than that of C7. Second-order rate kinetics, as obtained from the half-life (t_1/2) data, implies that the aggregates are dimeric in nature. Observations of isosbestic points in area-normalized absorption spectra (ANAS) and isoemissive points in area-normalized fluorescence excitation spectra (ANFES) and time-resolved area-normalized emission spectra (TRANES) establish that ground-state monomer ⇌ dimer equilibria for both of the systems are preserved in the photoexcited state. The present study further establishes that β-cyclodextrin is the most efficient of the three common cyclodextrins in shifting the equilibria toward the monomer by encapsulating the monomers within its cavity, making β-CD a convenient modulator to control the self-aggregation process. Dynamic light scattering (DLS), quantum chemical calculations, and molecular docking studies provide further support to our propositions.

Stercobilin and Urobilin in Aqueous Media: Existence of Specific H-Aggregates and Nonspecific Higher Aggregates at Different Concentrations

Fecal matter is considered to be one of the primary sources of water pollution. Understanding the aggregation behavior of the fecal pigments (FPs) could play a critical role in their detection and analysis. This work shows that in aqueous media, the fluorescence of FPs indicates the presence of multiple emitting species, which have been assigned to monomers, lower-order H-aggregates (dimers), and higher-order H-aggregates. Steady-state absorbance, fluorescence and time-resolved fluorescence decay studies conclude that the emission of FPs in aqueous medium indicates H-type of aggregation, even up to nanomolar and sub-nanomolar concentrations. Four sets of independent experiments involving the variation of (i) concentration of FPs, (ii) temperature, (iii) pH, and (iv) ethanol/water composition as solvent media suggest the presence of monomer (540 nm), dimer (516 nm), and higher-order aggregates (500 nm) of FPs in aqueous solutions. The dimeric FP species appear to be present in the entire concentration range of 1 pM to 1 μM. Fluorescence lifetimes of H-aggregates are relatively longer as compared to the corresponding monomers. Hydrogen bonding appears to play an important role in forming H-aggregates in the aqueous phase of FPs as observed in the IR spectra of the FPs in dichloromethane. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations using the B3LYP functional and the LANL2DZ basis set show the contributions of π-π stacking and hydrogen-bonding interactions toward the formation of H-aggregated dimer of FPs in aqueous media.

Spectroscopic Studies of a Phosphonium Ionic Liquid in Supercritical CO2

Fluorescence spectroscopy was used to study a solution comprised of coumarin 153 (C153)+ trihexyltetradecylphosphonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([P6,6,6,14]+ [Tf2N]−)+ supercritical CO2 (scCO2). We compare the spectroscopy of C153 in neat scCO2 to that of C153/scCO2 with the addition of ionic liquid (IL). Excitation and emission peak frequencies of C153 in scCO2 and in IL/scCO2 diverged at reduced densities (ρr = ρ/ρc) below the CO2 critical density. At low fluid density, spectral changes in the IL/scCO2 solutions showed evidence that C153 experiences a very different microenvironment—one that is unlike neat scCO2. The data show that the presence of IL clearly influences the C153 excitation and emission profiles. Excitation was broadened and red shifted by >2000 cm−1 and the presence of an additional low-energy emission component that was red shifted by ~3000 cm−1 was clearly visible and not observed in neat scCO2. The solution heterogeneity was controlled by changing the scCO2 density and at high fluid density, both the excitation and emission spectra were more similar to those in neat scCO2. Steady-state anisotropy also showed that at low fluid density, the C153 emission was significantly polarized. Aggregation of C153 has been reported in the literature and this led us to hypothesize the possibility that C153 dimer (aggregation) formation may be occurring in scCO2. Another possible explanation is that dye–IL aggregates may dissolve into the scCO2 phase due to C153 acting as a “co-solvent” for the IL. Time-resolved intensity decay measurements yielded only slightly non-exponential decays with accompanying time constants of ~3–4 ns that were significantly shorter than the 5–6 ns time constants in neat scCO2, which are suggestive of C153–IL interactions. However, these data did not conclusively support dimer formation. Pre-exponential factors of the time constants showed that almost all of the emission was due to monomeric C153.

Wide bandgap semiconductor-based novel nanohybrid for potential antibacterial activity: ultrafast spectroscopy and computational studies

The properties of nanomaterials generated by external stimuli are considered an innovative and promising replacement for the annihilation of bacterial infectious diseases.

Aggregation of Nile Red in Water: Prevention through Encapsulation in β-Cyclodextrin

The present work, based on various spectroscopic investigations, vividly demonstrates the self-association of Nile red (NR) in aqueous medium. The rapid decrease in the absorbance as well as emission of NR in water bears the signature of the aggregation process. Appearance of a new blue-shifted absorption band in addition to the original one and a drastic decrease in the emission intensity imply that the aggregation is of H-type. Poor solubility of NR in water, hydrophobic interaction, and the planar structure of the dye are ascribed to favor the formation of the aggregate in the aqueous medium. Absorption-based kinetic studies reveal the aggregation process to be second order, thereby establishing the aggregate to be a dimer. Similar kinetic profiles of the absorbance of NR in the presence and absence of light confirm that the aggregation process is not photoassisted. The presence of an isosbestic point in the absorbance spectra and an isoemissive point in the time-resolved area normalized emission spectra bears the evidence of equilibrium between the dimeric and the monomeric species of NR in the ground state as well as in the photoexcited state. Encapsulation of the monomer of NR within the hydrophobic cavity of β-cyclodextrin is demonstrated to prevent the aggregation process.

Fluorescence resonance energy-transfer-based fluoride ion sensor

The present work describes an energy-transfer-based fluoride sensor using the highly photo-stable Coumarin 540a (C540a)-Rhodamine 6g (Rh6g) dye pair. Rh6g exhibits a decrease in fluorescence emission, whereas C540a shows no change in response to fluoride. The increase in fluoride concentration decreases the energy transfer efficiency between the C540a donor and Rh6g acceptor in acetonitrile, leading to a subsequent recovery of fluorescence emission from C540a molecules. The sensing mechanism using fluorescence resonance energy transfer is found to be highly specific towards fluoride detection when compared to the response towards other anions. The fluorescence emission of both dyes is monitored to enable fluoride detection within a broad range.

Fluorescence imaging of antibiotic clofazimine encapsulated within mesoporous silica particle carriers: relevance to drug delivery and the effect on its release kinetics

We report on the encapsulation of the antibiotic clofazimine (CLZ) within the pores of mesoporous silica particles having hydrophilic (CBET value of 137) and more hydrophobic (CBET value of 94 after calcination at 600 °C) surfaces. We studied the effect of pH on the released amount of CLZ in aqueous solutions and observed a maximum at pH 4.1 in correlation with the solubility of the drug. Less release of the drug was observed from the more hydrophobic particles which was attributed to a difference in the affinity of the drug to the carrier particles. Fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy, emission spectra, and fluorescence lifetimes of single drug loaded particles provided detailed understanding and new knowledge of the physical form of the encapsulated drug and the distribution within the particles. The distribution of CLZ within the particles was independent of the surface chemistry of the particles. The confirmation of CLZ molecules as monomers or aggregates was revealed by controlled removal of the drug with solvent. Additionally, the observed optical "halo effect" in the fluorescent images was interpreted in terms of specific quenching of high concentration of molecules. The emission lifetime experiments suggest stronger interaction of CLZ with the more hydrophobic particles, which is relevant to its release. The results reported in this work demonstrate that tuning the hydrophilicity/hydrophobicity of mesoporous silica particles can be used as a tool to control the release without impacting their loading ability.

Benzocoumarin Hydrazine: A Large Stokes Shift Fluorogenic Sensor for Detecting Carbonyls in Isolated Biomolecules and in Live Cells

Detection and quantification of biomolecule carbonylation, a critical manifestation of oxidative stress, allows better understanding of associated disease states. Existing approaches for such analyses require further processing of cells and tissues, which leads to loss of both spatial and temporal information about carbonylated biomolecules in cells. Live cell detection of these species requires sensors that are nontoxic, sufficiently reactive with the biocarbonyl in the intracellular milieu, and detectable with commonly available instrumentation. Presented here is a new fluorescent sensor for biomolecule carbonyl detection: a hydrazine derivative of a benzocoumarin, 7-hydrazinyl-4-methyl-2H-benzo[h]chromen-2-one (BzCH), which meets these requirements. This probe is especially well suited for live cell studies. It can be excited by a laser line common to many fluorescence microscopes. The emission maximum of BzCH undergoes a substantial red shift upon hydrazone formation (from ∼430 to ∼550 nm), which is the result of fluorophore disaggregation. Additionally, the hydrazone exhibits an exceptionally large Stokes shift (∼195 nm). The latter properties eliminate self-quenching of the probe and the need to remove unreacted fluorophore for reliable carbonyl detection. Thus, biomolecule carbonylation can be detected and quantified in cells and in cell extracts in a one-step procedure using this probe.

The application of a UHPLC system to study the formation of various chemical species by compounds undergoing efficient self-aggregation and to determine the homodimerization constants (KDM) with values in the high range of 106–1010 M−1

This work demonstrates a new concept for the use of UHPLC method for identification of the species formed by a self-aggregating compound depending on its concentration and solvent used and to determine homodimerization constants, K_DM = 10⁶–10¹⁰ M⁻¹.

Local environment inside a novel aromatic micelle investigated by steady-state and femtosecond fluorescence spectroscopy of an encapsulated solvatochromic probe

Steady-state and time-resolved spectroscopy of a recently-developed aromatic micelle reveals its high-polarity environment, ultrafast response, dynamic encapsulation of the guest.

Toward the design of bio-solar cells: high efficiency cascade energy transfer among four donor–acceptor dyes self-assembled in a highly ordered protein–DNA matrix

Artificial antenna complexes built via self-assembly are reported, indicating efficient cascade energy transfer, unprecedented thermal stability, and ease of formation.