Photocatalytic Generation of Trifluoromethyl Nitrene for Alkene Aziridination.

N-Trifluoromethylated organics may be applied in drug design, agrochemical synthesis, and materials science, among other areas. Yet, despite recent advances in the synthesis of aliphatic, cyclic and heterocyclic N-trifluoromethyl compounds, no strategy based on trifluoromethyl nitrene has hitherto been explored. Here we describe the formation of triplet trifluoromethyl nitrene from azidotrifluoromethane, a stable and safe-to-use precursor, by visible light photocatalysis. The addition of CF3 N to alkenes via biradical intermediates afforded previously unknown aziridines substituted with trifluoromethyl group on the nitrogen atom. The obtained aziridines were converted into either N-trifluoromethylimidazolines, via formal [3+2] cycloaddition with nitriles, mediated by a Lewis acid, or into N-trifluoromethylaldimines, via ring opening and aryl group migration mediated by a strong Brønsted acid. Our findings open new opportunities for the development of novel classes of N-CF3 compounds with possible applications in the life sciences.

Excited-State (Anti)Aromaticity Explains Why Azulene Disobeys Kasha's Rule.

Fluorescence exclusively occurs from the lowest excited state of a given multiplicity according to Kasha's rule. However, this rule is not obeyed by a handful of anti-Kasha fluorophores whose underlying mechanism is still understood merely on a phenomenological basis. This lack of understanding prevents the rational design and property-tuning of anti-Kasha fluorophores. Here, we propose a model explaining the photophysical properties of an archetypal anti-Kasha fluorophore, azulene, based on its ground- and excited-state (anti)aromaticity. We derived our model from a detailed analysis of the electronic structure of the ground singlet, first excited triplet, and quintet states and of the first and second excited singlet states using the perturbational molecular orbital theory and quantum-chemical aromaticity indices. Our model reveals that the anti-Kasha properties of azulene and its derivatives result from (i) the contrasting (anti)aromaticity of its first and second singlet excited states (S1 and S2, respectively) and (ii) an easily accessible antiaromaticity relief pathway of the S1 state. This explanation of the fundamental cause of anti-Kasha behavior may pave the way for new classes of anti-Kasha fluorophores and materials with long-lived, high-energy excited states.

Near-infrared co-illumination of fluorescent proteins reduces photobleaching and phototoxicity.

Here we present a method to reduce the photobleaching of fluorescent proteins and the associated phototoxicity. It exploits a photophysical process known as reverse intersystem crossing, which we induce by near-infrared co-illumination during fluorophore excitation. This dual illumination method reduces photobleaching effects 1.5-9.2-fold, can be easily implemented on commercial microscopes and is effective in eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells with a wide range of fluorescent proteins.

Silicon- and Germanium-Functionalized Perylene Diimides: Synthesis, Optoelectronic Properties, and Their Application as Non-fullerene Acceptors in Organic Solar Cells.

Organic solar cells have been continuously studied and developed through the last decades. A major step in their development was the introduction of fused-ring non-fullerene electron acceptors. Yet, beside their high efficiency, they suffer from complex synthesis and stability issues. Perylene-based non-fullerene acceptors, in contrast, can be prepared in only a few steps and display good photochemical and thermal stability. Herein, we introduce four monomeric perylene diimide acceptors obtained in a three-step synthesis. In these molecules, the semimetals silicon and germanium were added in the bay position, on one or both sides of the molecules, resulting in asymmetric and symmetric compounds with a red-shifted absorption compared to unsubstituted perylene diimide. Introducing two germanium atoms improved the crystallinity and charge carrier mobility in the blend with the conjugated polymer PM6. In addition, charge carrier separation is significantly influenced by the high crystallinity of this blend, as shown by transient absorption spectroscopy. As a result, the solar cells reached a power conversion efficiency of 5.38 %, which is one of the highest efficiencies of monomeric perylene diimide-based solar cells recorded to date.

Phenyl-Substituted Cibalackrot Derivatives: Synthesis, Structure, and Solution Photophysics.

Three symmetrically and three unsymmetrically substituted cibalackrot (7,14-diphenyldiindolo[3,2,1-de:3',2',1'-ij][1,5]naphthyridine-6,13-dione, 1) dyes carrying two derivatized phenyl rings have been synthesized as candidates for molecular electronics and especially for singlet fission, a process of interest for solar energy conversion. Solution measurements provided singlet and triplet excitation energies and fluorescence yields and lifetimes; conformational properties were analyzed computationally. The molecular properties are close to ideal for singlet fission. However, crystal structures, obtained by single-crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD), are rather similar to those of the polymorphs of solid 1, in which the formation of a charge-separated state followed by intersystem crossing, complemented with excimer formation, outcompetes singlet fission. Results of calculations by the approximate SIMPLE method suggest which ones among the solid derivatives are the best candidates for singlet fission, but it appears difficult to change the crystal packing in a desirable direction. We also describe the preparation of three specifically deuteriated versions of 1, expected to help sort out the mechanism of fast intersystem crossing in its charge-separated state.

Common xanthene fluorescent dyes are visible-light activatable CO-releasing molecules.

Fluorescein, eosin Y, and rose bengal are dyes used in clinical medicine and considered (photo-)chemically stable. Upon extensive irradiation with visible light in aqueous solutions, we found that these compounds release carbon monoxide (CO) - a bioactive gasotransmitter - in 40-100% yields along with the production of low-mass secondary photoproducts, such as phthalic and formic acids, in a multistep degradation process. Such photochemistry should be considered in applications of these dyes, and they could also be utilized as visible-light activatable CO-releasing molecules (photoCORMs) with biological implications.

Highly Chemoselective Catalytic Photooxidations by Using Solvent as a Sacrificial Electron Acceptor.

Catalyst recovery is an integral part of photoredox catalysis. It is often solved by adding another component-a sacrificial agent-whose role is to convert the catalyst back into its original oxidation state. However, an additive may cause a side reaction thus decreasing the selectivity and overall efficiency. Herein, we present a novel approach towards chemoselective photooxidation reactions based on suitable solvent-acetonitrile acting simultaneously as an electron acceptor for catalyst recovery, and on anaerobic conditions. This is allowed by the unique properties of the catalyst, 7,8-dimethoxy-3-methyl-5-phenyl-5-deazaflavinium chloride existing in both strongly oxidizing and reducing forms, whose strength is increased by excitation with visible light. Usefulness of this system is demonstrated in chemoselective dehydrogenations of 4-methoxy- and 4-chlorobenzyl alcohols to aldehydes without over-oxidation to benzoic acids achieving yields up to 70 %. 4-Substituted 1-phenylethanols were oxidized to ketones with yields 80-100 % and, moreover, with yields 31-98 % in the presence of benzylic methyl group, diphenylmethane or thioanisole which are readily oxidized in the presence of oxygen but these were untouched with our system. Mechanistic studies based on UV-Vis spectro-electrochemistry, EPR and time-resolved spectroscopy measurements showed that the process involving an electron release from an excited deazaflavin radical to acetonitrile under formation of solvated electron is crucial for the catalyst recovery.

Photochemical oxidation of phenols and anilines mediated by phenoxyl radicals in aqueous solution.

Reactive intermediates formed upon irradiation of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) contribute to the degradation of various organic contaminants in surface waters. Besides well-studied "short-lived" photooxidants, such as triplet state CDOM (3CDOM*) or singlet oxygen, CDOM-derived "long-lived" photooxidants (LLPO) have been suggested as key players in the transformation of electron-rich contaminants. LLPO were hypothesized to mainly consist of phenoxyl radicals derived from phenolic moieties in the CDOM. To test this hypothesis and to better characterize LLPO, the transformation kinetics of selected target compounds (phenols and anilines) induced by a suite of electron-poor model phenoxyl radicals was studied in aerated aqueous solution at pH 8. The phenoxyl radicals were generated by photosensitized oxidation of the parent phenols using aromatic ketones as photosensitizers. Under steady-state irradiation, the presence of any of the electron-poor phenols lead to an enhanced abatement of the phenolic target compounds (at an initial concentration of 1.0 × 10-7 M) compared to solutions containing the photosensitizer but no electron-poor phenol. A trend of increasing reactivity with increasing one-electron reduction potential of the electron-poor phenoxyl radical (range: 0.85‒1.12 V vs. standard hydrogen electrode) was observed. Using the excited triplet state of 2-acetonaphthone as a selective oxidant for phenols, it was observed that the reactivity correlated with the concentration of electron-poor phenoxide present in solution. The rates of transformation of anilines induced by the 4-cyanophenoxyl radical were an order of magnitude smaller than for the phenolic target compounds. This was interpreted as a reduction of the radical intermediates back to the parent compound by the superoxide radical anion. Laser flash photolysis measurements confirmed the formation of the 4-cyanophenoxyl radical in solutions containing 2-acetonaphthone and 4-cyanophenol, and yielded values of (2.6 - 5.3) × 108 M-1 s-1 for the second-order rate constant for the reaction of this radical with 2,4,6-trimethylphenol. These and further results indicate that electron-poor model phenoxyl radicals generated through photosensitized oxidation are useful models to understand the photoreactivity of LLPO as part of the CDOM.

Quenching of an Aniline Radical Cation by Dissolved Organic Matter and Phenols: A Laser Flash Photolysis Study.

Aromatic amines are relevant aquatic organic contaminants whose photochemical transformation is affected by dissolved organic matter (DOM). The goal of this study is to elucidate the underlying mechanism of the inhibitory effect of DOM on such reactions. The selected model aromatic amine, 4-(dimethylamino)benzonitrile (DMABN), was subjected to laser flash photolysis in the presence and absence of various model photosensitizers. The produced radical cation (DMABN•+) was observed to react with several phenols and different types of DOM on a time scale of ∼100 µs. The determined second-order rate constants for the quenching of DMABN•+ by phenols were in the range of (1.4-26) × 108 M-1 s-1 and increased with increasing electron donor character of the aromatic ring substituent. For DOM, quenching rate constants increased with the phenolic content of the DOM. These results indicate the reduction of DMABN•+ to re-form its parent compound as the basic reaction governing the inhibitory effect. In addition, the photosensitized oxidation of the sulfonamide antibiotic sulfadiazine (SDZ) was studied. The observed radical intermediate of SDZ was quenched by 4-methoxyphenol less effectively than DMABN•+, which was attributed to the lower reduction potential of the SDZ-derived radical compared to DMABN•+.

Photochemistry of a 9-Dithianyl-Pyronin Derivative: A Cornucopia of Reaction Intermediates Lead to Common Photoproducts.

Leaving groups attached to the meso-methyl position of many common dyes, such as xanthene, BODIPY, or pyronin derivatives, can be liberated upon irradiation with visible light. However, the course of phototransformations of such photoactivatable systems can be quite complex and the identification of reaction intermediates or even products is often neglected. This paper exemplifies the photochemistry of a 9-dithianyl-pyronin derivative, which undergoes an oxidative transformation at the meso-position to give a 3,6-diamino-9H-xanthen-9-one derivative, formic acid, and carbon monoxide as the main photoproducts. The course of this multi-photon multi-step reaction was studied under various conditions by steady-state and time-resolved optical spectroscopy, mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopy to understand the effects of solvents and molecular oxygen on individual steps. Our analyses have revealed the existence of many intermediates and their interrelationships to provide a complete picture of the transformation, which can bring new inputs to a rational design of new photoactivatable pyronin or xanthene derivatives.

Correction: The effect of light wavelength on in vitro bilirubin photodegradation and photoisomer production.

Following publication of this article, the authors noticed that an incorrect affiliation was assigned to the author "Lucie Muchová". The original article has now been updated so that the author "Lucie Muchová" is associated with the "Institute of Medical Biochemistry and Laboratory Diagnostics, 1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Katerinská 32, 120 00 Prague, Czech Republic". This has been corrected in both the PDF and HTML versions of the article.

The effect of light wavelength on in vitro bilirubin photodegradation and photoisomer production.

BACKGROUND: The action spectrum for bilirubin photodegradation has been intensively studied. However, questions still remain regarding which light wavelength most efficiently photodegrades bilirubin. In this study, we determined the in vitro effects of different irradiation wavelength ranges on bilirubin photodegradation. METHODS: In our in vitro method, normalized absolute irradiance levels of 4.2 × 1015 photons/cm2/s from light-emitting diodes (ranging from 390-530 nm) and 10-nm band-pass filters were used to irradiate bilirubin solutions (25 mg/dL in 4% human serum albumin). Bilirubin and its major photoisomer concentrations were determined; the half-life time of bilirubin (t1/2) was calculated for each wavelength range, and the spectral characteristics for bilirubin photodegradation products were obtained for key wavelengths. RESULTS: The in vitro photodegradation of bilirubin at 37 °C decreased linearly as the wavelength was increased from 390 to 500 nm with t1/2 decreasing from 63 to 17 min, respectively. At 460 ± 10 nm, a significantly lower rate of photodegradation and thus higher t1/2 (31 min) than that at 500 nm (17 min) was demonstrated. CONCLUSION: In our system, the optimum bilirubin photodegradation and lumirubin production rates occurred between 490 and 500 nm. Spectra shapes were remarkably similar, suggesting that lumirubin production was the major process of bilirubin photodegradation.

Laser flash photolysis study of the photoinduced oxidation of 4-(dimethylamino)benzonitrile (DMABN).

Aromatic amines are aquatic contaminants for which phototransformation in surface waters can be induced by excited triplet states of dissolved organic matter (3DOM*). The first reaction step is assumed to consist of a one-electron oxidation process of the amine to produce its radical cation. In this paper, we present laser flash photolysis investigations aimed at characterizing the photoinduced, aqueous phase one-electron oxidation of 4-(dimethylamino)benzonitrile (DMABN) as a representative of this contaminant class. The production of the radical cation of DMABN (DMABN˙+) after direct photoexcitation of DMABN at 266 nm was confirmed in accord with previous experimental results. Moreover, DMABN˙+ was shown to be produced from the reactions of several excited triplet photosensitizers (carbonyl compounds) with DMABN. Second-order rate constants for the quenching of the excited triplet states by DMABN were determined to fall in the range of 3 × 107-5 × 109 M-1 s-1, and their variation was interpreted in terms of electron transfer theory using a Rehm-Weller relationship. The decay kinetics of DMABN˙+ in the presence of oxygen was dominated by a second-order component attributed to its reaction with the superoxide radical anion (O2˙-). The first-order rate constant for the transformation of DMABN˙+ leading to photodegradation of DMABN was estimated not to exceed ≈5 × 103 s-1.

Photosensitized Cross-Linking of Tryptophan and Tyrosine Derivatives by Rose Bengal in Aqueous Solutions.

Photosensitized cross-linking of N-acetyl derivatives of tryptophan and tyrosine by rose bengal in phosphate buffer saline was studied by steady-state absorption and emission spectroscopy, nanosecond transient absorption spectroscopy, and chemical analyses. These amino acids undergo cross-linking to form dimeric and higher oligomeric products under anoxic conditions with rose bengal as a sacrificial oxidant, whereas they react predominantly with singlet oxygen produced by rose bengal in aerated solutions. This investigation provides a comprehensive view into the first steps of rose bengal photosensitized cross-linking of these two amino acids. The results can be helpful for future applications of rose bengal and related dyes, such as photochemical tissue bonding or visible light photocatalysis.

Protected 5-(hydroxymethyl)uracil nucleotides bearing visible-light photocleavable groups as building blocks for polymerase synthesis of photocaged DNA.

Nucleosides, nucleotides and 2'-deoxyribonucleoside triphosphates (dNTPs) containing 5-(hydroxymethyl)uracil protected with photocleavable groups (2-nitrobenzyl-, 6-nitropiperonyl or 9-anthrylmethyl) were prepared and tested as building blocks for the polymerase synthesis of photocaged oligonucleotides and DNA. Photodeprotection (photorelease) reactions were studied in detail on model nucleoside monophosphates and their photoreaction quantum yields were determined. Photocaged dNTPs were then tested and used as substrates for DNA polymerases in primer extension or PCR. DNA probes containing photocaged or free 5-hydroxymethylU in the recognition sequence of restriction endonucleases were prepared and used for the study of photorelease of caged DNA by UV or visible light at different wavelengths. The nitropiperonyl-protected nucleotide was found to be a superior building block because the corresponding dNTP is a good substrate for DNA polymerases, and the protecting group is efficiently cleavable by irradiation by UV or visible light (up to 425 nm).

Supramolecular Storage and Controlled Photorelease of an Oxidizing Agent using a Bambusuril Macrocycle.

The oxidizing ability of peroxodisulfate upon complexation inside the Bambusuril macrocycle cavity is inhibited. This dianionic agent can be released on demand from its stable 1:1 complex in water (log Ka =6.9 m-1 ) by addition of a more strongly bound anion, such as iodide (log Ka =7.1 m-1 ), which can also be delivered in situ upon irradiation from a 4-hydroxyphenacyl iodide derivative with spatial and temporal precision. The oxidizing properties of peroxodisulfate ions liberated from the complex recover and can take part in subsequent chemical transformations.

Bambusuril as a One-Electron Donor for Photoinduced Electron Transfer to Methyl Viologen in Mixed Crystals.

Methyl viologen hexafluorophosphate (MV2+·2PF6-) and dodecamethylbambus[6]uril (BU6) form crystals in which the layers of viologen dications alternate with those of a 1:2 supramolecular complex of BU6 and PF6-. This arrangement allows for a one-electron reduction of MV2+ ions upon UV irradiation to form MV+• radical cations within the crystal structure with half-lives of several hours in air. The mechanism of this photoinduced electron transfer in the solid state and the origin of the long-lived charge-separated state were studied by steady-state and transient spectroscopies, cyclic voltammetry, and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. Our experiments are supported by quantum-chemical calculations showing that BU6 acts as a reductant. In addition, analogous photochemical behavior is also demonstrated on other MV2+/BU6 crystals containing either BF4- or Br- counterions.

Photochemical Formation of Dibenzosilacyclohept-4-yne for Cu-Free Click Chemistry with Azides and 1,2,4,5-Tetrazines.

Photochemical generation of dibenzosilacyclohept-4-yne 3 from the corresponding cyclopropenone 1 and its copper-free click reactions are reported. Steady-state irradiation, kinetic, and transient absorption spectroscopy studies revealed that strained alkyne 3 is rapidly (<5 ns) and efficiently (Φ = 0.58-0.71) photoreleased from 1 and undergoes remarkably fast, selective, and high-yielding 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition with benzyl azide (∼20 M-1 s-1) or [4 + 2] inverse-electron-demand Diels-Alder reaction with 1,2,4,5-tetrazines (∼260 M-1 s-1) in both methanol and acetonitrile.

Photochemistry of rose bengal in water and acetonitrile: a comprehensive kinetic analysis.

The photophysical and photochemical properties of rose bengal (RB) in degassed aqueous and acetonitrile solutions were studied using steady-state and transient absorption spectroscopies. This comprehensive investigation provides detailed information about the kinetics and the optical properties of all intermediates involved: the triplet excited state and the oxidized and reduced forms of RB. A full kinetic description is used to control the concentrations of these intermediates by changing the initial experimental conditions.