Complexation of Fluorenone and Xanthone to Cyclodextrins: Comparison of Theoretical and Experimental Studies

Excited-state properties of fluorenones: influence of substituents, solvent and macrocyclic encapsulation

Fluorescence and radiationless deactivation of methoxy-substituted fluorenones are strongly guided by location(s) of the substituent(s) in the fluorenone core.

Temperature effects on xanthone–β-cyclodextrin binding dynamics

The complexation dynamics of the triplet excited state of xanthone with β-cyclodextrin were studied at various temperatures between 10 and 50 °C. Association and dissociation rate constants were determined using the laser flash photolysis quenching methodology with Cu2+ as a quencher. The rate constants for the association and dissociation of triplet xanthone with β-cyclodextrin increased with temperature, while the equilibrium constant for the triplet excited state remained relatively constant. Equilibrium constants for the ground-state complexation of xanthone with β-cyclodextrin were determined from fluorescence studies at various temperatures. The ground-state binding efficiency decreased with temperature and was markedly greater than that of the triplet excited state at all temperatures. The enthalpy and entropy for the β-cyclodextrin complex formation of the ground and triplet excited states fall on the enthalpy–entropy compensation relationship previously established for cyclodextrin complexes. The activation enthalpies for the association and dissociation rate constants for triplet xanthone are similar. The activation entropy is favorable for the association process, whereas a negative activation entropy was measured for the dissociation process, suggesting that solvation plays a key role in the complex formation between xanthone and β-cyclodextrin.

Improved spin trapping properties by beta-cyclodextrin-cyclic nitrone conjugate

Spin trapping using a nitrone and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy is commonly employed in the identification of transient radicals in chemical and biological systems. There has also been a growing interest in the pharmacological activity of nitrones, and there is, therefore, a pressing need to develop nitrones with improved spin trapping properties and controlled delivery in cellular systems. The beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CD)-cyclic nitrone conjugate, 5-N-beta-cyclodextrin-carboxamide-5-methyl-1-pyrroline N-oxide (CDNMPO) was synthesized and characterized. 1-D and 2-D NMR show two stereoisomeric forms (i.e., 5S- and 5R-) for CDNMPO. Spin trapping using CDNMPO shows distinctive EPR spectra for superoxide radical anion (O2(*-)) compared to other biologically relevant free radicals. Kinetic analysis of O2(*-) adduct formation and decay using singular value decomposition and pseudoinverse deconvolution methods gave an average bimolecular rate constant of k = 58 +/- 1 M(-1) s(-1) and a maximum half-life of t(1/2) = 27.5 min at pH 7.0. Molecular modeling was used to rationalize the long-range coupling between the nitrone and the beta-CD, as well as the stability of the O2(*-) adducts. This study demonstrates how a computational approach can aid in the design of spin traps with a relatively high rate of reactivity to O2(*-), and how beta-CD can improve adduct stability via intramolecular interaction with the O2(*-) adduct.

Study of the complexation of fisetin with cyclodextrins

In this work, the interaction between fisetin (3,3',4',7-tetrahydroxyflavone) (Fis) and cyclodextrins (CDs) (alpha and beta) was studied through UV-vis absorption, steady-state fluorescence, induced circular dichroism, and (1)H NMR experiments with dependence on temperature and pH. Some experimental data were compared with quantum-mechanics studies based on the SAM1 (AMPAC) semiempirical model, as well as with the B3LYP and MPW1PW91 functional models from density functional theory using the 6-311G and 3-21G basis sets. The spectroscopic measurements show that Fis does not form stable complexes with alpha-CD. On the other hand, at pH 4.0 and 6.5, the complex Fis-beta-CD is formed in a Fis:beta-CD 1:1 stoichiometry and an equilibrium constant (K) of 900 +/- 100 M(-1). In basic medium (pH 11.5), K decreases to 240 +/- 90 M(-1) because Fis deprotonation leads to its better solubilization in water. Molecular modeling points out that Fis is not totally inserted into the inner cavity of beta-CD. The formation of the inclusion complex renders an environment that enhances intramolecular excited state proton transfer. The inclusion complex is formed preferentially via entry of the Fis phenyl group into beta-CD.

Supramolecular dynamics studied using photophysics

Dynamics is an essential feature of supramolecular systems, and it's understanding will be central in achieving new chemical function. The methodology to obtain association and dissociation rate constants for fast binding of guests to host systems in real time is described. Examples are provided for binding of guests to cyclodextrins or bile salt aggregates with an emphasis on the type of information and mechanistic insight that can only be uncovered from kinetic studies and is not apparent in thermodynamic investigations.

Exploring the Ability of Frozen-Density Embedding to Model Induced Circular Dichroism

In this study, we present calculations of the circular dichroism (CD) spectra of complexes between achiral and chiral molecules. Nonzero rotational strengths for transitions of the nonchiral molecule are induced by interactions between the two molecules, which cause electronic and/or structural perturbations of the achiral molecule. We investigate if the chiral molecule (environment) can be represented only in terms of its frozen electron density, which is used to generate an effective embedding potential. The accuracy of these calculations is assessed in comparison to full supermolecular calculations. We can show that electronic effects arising from specific interactions between the two subsystems can reliably be modeled by the frozen-density representation of the chiral molecule. This is demonstrated for complexes of 2-benzoylbenzoic acid with (-)-(R)-amphetamine and for a nonchiral, artificial amino acid receptor system consisting of ferrocenecarboxylic acid bound to a crown ether, for which a complex with l-leucine is studied. Especially in the latter case, where multiple binding sites and interactions between receptor and target molecule exist, the frozen-density results compare very well with the full supermolecular calculation. We also study systems in which a cyclodextrin cavity serves as a chiral host system for a small, achiral molecule. Problems arise in that case because of the importance of excitonic couplings with excitations in the host system. The frozen-density embedding cannot describe such couplings but can only capture the direct effect of the host electron density on the electronic structure of the guest. If couplings play a role, frozen-density embedding can at best only partially describe the induced circular dichroism. To illustrate this problem, we finally construct a case in which excitonic coupling effects are much stronger than direct interactions of the subsystem densities. The frozen density embedding is then completely unsuitable.

Energy Dissipation Processes of Singlet-excited 1-Hydroxyfluorenone and its Hydrogen-bonded Complex with N-methylimidazole¶

Effects of solvent, pH and hydrogen bonding with N-methylimidazole (MIm) on the photophysical properties of 1-hydroxyfluorenone (1HOF) have been studied. Fluorescence lifetime, fluorescence quantum yield and triplet yield measurements demonstrated that intersystem crossing was the dominant process in apolar media and its rate constant significantly diminished with increasing solvent polarity. The acceleration of internal conversion in alcohols paralleled the strength of intermolecular hydrogen bonding. The faster energy dissipation from the singlet-excited state in cyclohexane was attributed to intramolecular hydrogen bonding. The pK(a) of 1HOF decreased from 10.06 to 5.0 on light absorption, and H(3)O(+) quenched the singlet-excited molecules in a practically diffusion-controlled reaction. On addition of MIm in toluene, dual fluorescence was observed, which was attributed to reversible formation of excited hydrogen-bonded ion pair. Rate constants for the various deactivation pathways were derived from the combined analysis of the steady-state and the time-resolved fluorescence results.

Mechanistic studies on the photochromism of [e]-annelated dimethyldihydropyrenes

The photochemistry of several photochromic arene [e]-annelated dimethyldihydropyrenes (DHPs) was studied. These compounds have much larger photochemical ring opening quantum yields than the simple DHPs, making them potentially more useful as building blocks for photoswitchable materials.

Mechanistic insights into the photochromism of trans-10b,10c-dimethyl-10b,10c-dihydropyrene derivatives

A series of dimethyldihydropyrene derivatives was studied to elucidate the photochemical mechanism associated with the switching between the dimethyldihydropyrene (DHP, closed) and metacyclophanediene (CPD, open) forms of the molecule. Quantum yields of ring opening and closure, fluorescence quantum yields and lifetimes, as well as laser flash photolysis studies were performed to establish the effect of substituents on the switching efficiency. Ring opening of the DHPs occurs from the first singlet excited state. The low quantum yields for the ring opening reaction observed (< or =0.042) are a consequence of the low rate constant (< or =1.7 x 10(7) s(-1)) for this process. The quantum yields for ring closure of the CPD were determined for select compounds and were of the order of 0.1-0.4. These results show that the efficiency for ring opening of this class of compounds is intrinsically low, but can be modulated to some extent by the introduction of substituents. These properties should be taken into account when considering what type of photoswitching devices DHPs might be useful for.

Use of styrene radical cations as probes for the complexation dynamics of charged guests with alpha- and beta-cyclodextrins

The complexation dynamics of radical cations with cyclodextrins (CD) was studied using photophysical techniques. Radical cations of 4-vinylanisole and trans-anethole were formed within alpha- and beta-CD cavities by two-photon photolysis of the respective styrene precursors. Exit of the radical cations from alpha-CD complexes with 1: 1 and 1:2 (guest: CD) stoichiometries and beta-CD complexes with 1:1 stoichiometries occurred with lifetimes shorter than 100 ns. Most of the radical cations formed escape from the CD cavities, but a small portion do react with alpha-CD when this host is present in high concentrations.

Effect of cyclodextrin complexation on the photochemistry of the lignin model α-guaiacoxyacetoveratrone

The photodecomposition of α-guaiacoxyacetoveratrone (GAV) in homogeneous solvents and in aqueous cyclodextrin solutions was studied by following the fluorescence emission of the photoproducts formed. The same qualitative behavior as previously observed for the photodegradation quantum yield measurements was reproduced in the fluorescence studies in dry or wet methanol and acetonitrile. The yield for GAV photodegradation in water is smaller than in the organic solvents. Complexation of GAV to β- and γ-cyclodextrins leads to an increase in the photodecomposition yield, especially during the early part of the photodecomposition kinetics. The transients formed in the photolysis of GAV in water are similar to those observed in acetonitrile, and the lifetime of triplet GAV in water is 130 ns. In addition, solvated electrons were formed when GAV was photolyzed in water. Complexation of GAV to cyclodextrins leads to an increase in the triplet yield compared to the radical yield and a moderate shortening of the triplet lifetime.Key words: α-guaiacoxyacetoveratrone, cyclodextrin, excited singlet states, excited triplet states, radicals.