Luminescent iridium(III) porphyrin complexes as near-infrared-emissive biological probes.

We report herein the design, synthesis and characterisation of a series of luminescent iridium(III) porphyrin complexes [Ir(ttp)(CH2CH2OH)] (H2ttp = 5,10,15,20-tetra-4-tolylporphyrin) (1), [Ir(tpp-Ph-NO2)(CO)Cl] (H2tpp-Ph-NO2 = 5-(4-((4-nitrophenoxy)carbonyloxymethyl)phenyl)-10,15,20-triphenylporphyrin) (2), [Ir(tpp-COOMe)(Py)2](Cl) (H2tpp-COOMe = 5-(4-methoxycarbonylphenyl)-10,15,20-triphenylporphyrin; Py = pyridine) (3) and [Ir(tpp-COOH)(Py)2](Cl) (H2tpp-COOH = 5-(4-carboxylphenyl)-10,15,20-triphenylporphyrin) (4). All the complexes displayed long-lived near-infrared (NIR) emission attributed to an excited state of mixed triplet intraligand (3IL) (π → π*) (porphyrin) and triplet metal-to-ligand charge transfer (3MLCT) (dπ(Ir) → π*(porphyrin)) character. The cytotoxicity of the complexes toward HeLa cells was examined by the 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The cationic complexes 3 and 4 exhibited higher cytotoxic activity toward HeLa cells than their neutral counterparts 1 and 2. Cellular uptake studies by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and laser-scanning confocal microscopy (LSCM) indicated that complexes 3 and 4 showed higher cellular uptake efficiencies than complexes 1 and 2 due to their cationic charge, and they were enriched in the perinuclear region of the cells with negligible nuclear uptake. Additionally, the carboxyl complex 4 was used to label a model protein bovine serum albumin (BSA) via an amidation reaction. The resultant luminescent protein conjugate 4-BSA displayed similar photophysical properties and intracellular localisation behaviour to its parent complex. The results of this work will contribute to the development of luminescent iridium(III) porphyrin complexes and related bioconjugates as NIR-emissive probes for bioimaging applications.

B-O-B bridged BOPPY derivatives: synthesis, structures, and acid-catalyzed cis-trans isomeric interconversion.

A new class of BOPPY derivatives has been facilely synthesized by a two-step reaction of coupling 3,5-dimethylpyrrole-2-carbaldehyde with 2,3-dihydrazinoquinoxaline (QDH) followed by coordinating with BF3·OEt2. The reaction mainly produces a triboron complex 3 within 1 h, while a pair of B-O-B bridged trans-cis isomers 4 and 4' are formed as the reaction time elongates to 8 h. Moreover, two bromide products 4Br and 4Br' are prepared almost quantitatively by the bromination of 4 and 4', respectively. The coordinated B-N bonds impede the free rotation of the B-O-B bridge, resulting in a high-energy polytopal rearrangement that makes the diastereomers 4, 4' and 4Br, 4Br' separable and stable under ambient conditions. Interestingly, these two diastereomeric pairs undergo feasible cis-trans interconversion in the presence of weak acid due to the acid-catalyzed B-N bond cleavage followed by rotational isomerism. In addition, optical, electrochemical and theoretical results suggest that the conformational differences in the (BF)O(BF) part have little effect on the photophysical and electronic properties of such compounds.

Highly regioselective palladium-catalyzed domino reaction for post-functionalization of BODIPY.

A series of benzo[a]-fused BODIPYs and the corresponding isomeric naphthyl-BODIPYs have been synthesized through a facile one-pot palladium-catalyzed domino reaction of BODIPY precursors (2-bromo-BODIPYs) with diarylethynes, via "cis, cis" and "trans, cis" addition transition states with alkynes, respectively. This reaction exhibits unprecedentedly complete cyclization regioselectivity to the a-position of the BODIPY over the b-one, and the resulting products can be effectively regulated by the substituent choice on the diarylethynes.

Regulation of an Ambient-Light-Induced Photocyclization Pathway (Norrish-Yang Versus 6π) by Substituent Choice.

Photocyclization, irrespective of whether multiple steps (e.g., Norrish-Yang cyclization) or a single concerted step (e.g., 6π photocyclization) are involved, is an intramolecular photochemical process resulting in the formation of one new single bond to afford a ring system. In particular, visible-light-induced photocyclization offers a green and sustainable route to organic cyclic compounds that are difficult to access by thermal reactions. Herein, we describe the ambient light-induced intramolecular photocyclization of a series of donor/acceptor chromophores 1 d-3 d containing two types of photoresponsive motifs, namely an electron-deficient BF2 -chelated ketone fused with an electron-rich thiophene, and probe the solution-phase and solid-state photochromic performance of these compounds. The results reveal that simple variation of R substituents on the diaryl moiety allows one to control the intramolecular photocyclization mechanism with high photochemical selectivity, e.g., under ambient light, methyl-substituted 1 d and 2 d undergo reversible 6π photocyclization, whereas ethyl-substituted 3 d exclusively undergoes irreversible Norrish-Yang photocyclization. Single-crystal X-ray analysis of Norrish-Yang cyclization products reveals the formation of four pairs of conformational enantiomers differing in the dihedral angle between benzothiophene and the BF2 core, namely (±)N-3 d@68°, (±)N-3 d@-77°, (±)N-3 d@-78°, and (±)N-3 d@-102°. The UV/Vis absorption spectra of 1 d-3 d cover a broad visible-light region (380-572 nm), while DFT and TD-DFT calculations reveal that absorption in this region is dominated by the charge-transfer (CT) transition from the thiophene-centered HOMO to the LUMO of the electron-deficient π-conjugated BF2 -chelated unit and the n→π* and π→π* transitions within the latter unit. The spatial separation of the HOMO and LUMO of these dyes promotes triplet-state generation and self-photosensitizes intramolecular photocyclization in the visible-light region. Three-dimensional time-resolved and steady-state emission spectra of 3 d show that the Norrish-Yang photocyclization takes place within milliseconds with excellent conversion efficiency (96 %).

A ratiometric fluorescent probe for real-time monitoring of intracellular glutathione fluctuations in response to cisplatin.

Real-time imaging of fluctuations in intracellular glutathione (GSH) concentrations is critical to understanding the mechanism of GSH-related cisplatin-resistance. Here, we describe a ratiometric fluorescence probe based on a reversible Michael addition reaction of GSH with the vinyl-functionalized boron-dipyrromethene (4,4-difluoro-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene or BODIPY) 1. The probe was applied for real-time monitoring of the fluctuations in GSH levels in cells under cisplatin treatment. Notably, in cellular cisplatin-sensitive A549 cells, GSH concentrations rose until cell death, while in cisplatin-resistant cell lines, GSH levels first rose to the maximum then fell back to the initial concentration without significant apoptosis. These results indicate that different trends in GSH fluctuation can help distinguish cisplatin-resistant from cisplatin-sensitive cells. As such, this study has shown that probe 1 may potentially be used for real-time monitoring of intracellular GSH levels in response to therapeutics.

Real-time monitoring of newly acidified organelles during autophagy enabled by reaction-based BODIPY dyes.

Real-time monitoring of newly acidified organelles during autophagy in living cells is highly desirable for a better understanding of intracellular degradative processes. Herein, we describe a reaction-based boron dipyrromethene (BODIPY) dye containing strongly electron-withdrawing diethyl 2-cyanoacrylate groups at the α-positions. The probe exhibits intense red fluorescence in acidic organelles or the acidified cytosol while exhibiting negligible fluorescence in other regions of the cell. The underlying mechanism is a nucleophilic reaction at the central meso-carbon of the indacene core, resulting in the loss of π-conjugation entailed by dramatic spectroscopic changes of more than 200 nm between its colorless, non-fluorescent leuco-BODIPY form and its red and brightly emitting form. The reversible transformation between red fluorescent BODIPY and leuco-BODIPY along with negligible cytotoxicity qualifies such dyes for rapid and direct intracellular lysosome imaging and cytosolic acidosis detection simultaneously without any washing step, enabling the real-time monitoring of newly acidified organelles during autophagy.

Iodine-catalysed transfer hydrogenation of a carbon-carbon σ-bond with water.

Iodine catalysed the transfer hydrogenation of a benzylic C-C σ-bond in [2.2]paracyclophane with water to yield 4,4'-dimethylbibenzyl. The C-C σ-bond was first cleaved by homolytic substitution with iodine radicals to produce a 4,4'-diiodomethylbibenzyl intermediate. The benzylic C-I bonds in this intermediate were subsequently reduced by HI, generated in situ from the disproportionation of I2 with H2O, to achieve transfer hydrogenation and regenerate I2.

Hydrodebromination of allylic and benzylic bromides with water catalyzed by a rhodium porphyrin complex.

Hydrodebromination of allylic and benzylic bromides was successfully achieved by a rhodium porphyrin complex catalyst using water as the hydrogen source without a sacrificial reductant. Mechanistic investigations suggest that bromine atom abstraction via a rhodium porphyrin metalloradical operates to give the rhodium porphyrin alkyl species and the subsequent hydrolysis of the rhodium porphyrin alkyl species to a hydrocarbon product is a key step to harness the hydrogen from water.

Ligand effect on the rhodium porphyrin catalyzed hydrogenation of [2.2]paracyclophane with water: key bimetallic hydrogenation.

Rhodium porphyrin catalyzed hydrogenation of the aliphatic carbon-carbon σ-bond of [2.2]paracyclophane with water has been examined with a variety of tetraarylporphyrins and axial ligands. Mechanistic investigations show that RhIII(ttp)H, which can be derived from the reaction of [RhII(ttp)]2 with water without a sacrificial reductant, plays an important role in promoting bimetallic reductive elimination to give the hydrogenation product.

Selective Aliphatic Carbon-Carbon Bond Activation by Rhodium Porphyrin Complexes.

The carbon-carbon bond activation of organic molecules with transition metal complexes is an attractive transformation. These reactions form transition metal-carbon bonded intermediates, which contribute to fundamental understanding in organometallic chemistry. Alternatively, the metal-carbon bond in these intermediates can be further functionalized to construct new carbon-(hetero)atom bonds. This methodology promotes the concept that the carbon-carbon bond acts as a functional group, although carbon-carbon bonds are kinetically inert. In the past few decades, numerous efforts have been made to overcome the chemo-, regio- and, more recently, stereoselectivity obstacles. The synthetic usefulness of the selective carbon-carbon bond activation has been significantly expanded and is becoming increasingly practical: this technique covers a wide range of substrate scopes and transition metals. In the past 16 years, our laboratory has shown that rhodium porphyrin complexes effectively mediate the intermolecular stoichiometric and catalytic activation of both strained and nonstrained aliphatic carbon-carbon bonds. Rhodium(II) porphyrin metalloradicals readily activate the aliphatic carbon(sp3)-carbon(sp3) bond in TEMPO ((2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-1-yl)oxyl) and its derivatives, nitriles, nonenolizable ketones, esters, and amides to produce rhodium(III) porphyrin alkyls. Recently, the cleavage of carbon-carbon σ-bonds in unfunctionalized and noncoordinating hydrocarbons with rhodium(II) porphyrin metalloradicals has been developed. The absence of carbon-hydrogen bond activation in these systems makes the reaction unique. Furthermore, rhodium(III) porphyrin hydroxide complexes can be generated in situ to selectively activate the carbon(α)-carbon(ß) bond in ethers and the carbon(CO)-carbon(α) bond in ketones under mild conditions. The addition of PPh3 promotes the reaction rate and yield of the carbon-carbon bond activation product. Thus, both rhodium(II) porphyrin metalloradical and rhodium(III) porphyrin hydroxide are very reactive to activate the aliphatic carbon-carbon bonds. Recently, we successfully demonstrated the rhodium porphyrin catalyzed reduction or oxidation of aliphatic carbon-carbon bonds using water as the reductant or oxidant, respectively, in the absence of sacrificial reagents and neutral conditions. This Account presents our contribution in this domain. First, we describe the chemistry of equilibria among the reactive rhodium porphyrin complexes in oxidation states from Rh(I) to Rh(III). Then, we present the serendipitous discovery of the carbon-carbon bond activation reaction and subsequent developments in our laboratory. These aliphatic carbon-carbon bond activation reactions can generally be divided into two categories according to the reaction type: (i) homolytic radical substitution of a carbon(sp3)-carbon(sp3) bond with a rhodium(II) porphyrin metalloradical and (ii) σ-bond metathesis of a carbon-carbon bond with a rhodium(III) porphyrin hydroxide. Finally, representative examples of catalytic carbon-carbon bond hydrogenation and oxidation through strategic design are covered. The progress in this area broadens the chemistry of rhodium porphyrin complexes, and these transformations are expected to find applications in organic synthesis.

Rational Design of Emissive NIR-Absorbing Chromophores: Rh(III) Porphyrin-Aza-BODIPY Conjugates with Orthogonal Metal-Carbon Bonds.

The facile synthesis of Group 9 Rh(III) porphyrin-aza-BODIPY conjugates that are linked through an orthogonal Rh-C(aryl) bond is reported. The conjugates combine the advantages of the near-IR (NIR) absorption and intense fluorescence of aza-BODIPY dyes with the long-lived triplet states of transition metal rhodium porphyrins. Only one emission peak centered at about 720 nm is observed, irrespective of the excitation wavelength, demonstrating that the conjugates act as unique molecules rather than as dyads. The generation of a locally excited (LE) state with intramolecular charge-transfer (ICT) character has been demonstrated by solvatochromic effects in the photophysical properties, singlet oxygen quantum yields in polar solvents, and by the results of density functional theory (DFT) calculations. In nonpolar solvents, the Rh(III) conjugates exhibit strong aza-BODIPY-centered fluorescence at around 720 nm (ΦF =17-34 %), and negligible singlet oxygen generation. In polar solvents, enhancements of the singlet-oxygen quantum yield (ΦΔ =19-27 %, λex =690 nm) have been observed. Nanosecond pulsed time-resolved absorption spectroscopy confirms that relatively long-lived triplet excited states are formed. The synthetic methodology outlined herein provides a useful strategy for the assembly of functional materials that are highly desirable for a wide range of applications in material science and biomedical fields.

Room temperature carbon(CO)-carbon(α) bond activation of ketones by rhodium(ii) porphyrins with water.

The mild and selective aliphatic C(CO)-C(α) bond activation (CCA) of ketones was successfully achieved at room temperature using rhodium(ii) porphyrins in the presence of H2O. Rh(II)(tmp) (tmp = tetrakismesitylporphyrinate dianion) disproportionates in H2O to generate the highly reactive intermediate Rh(III)(tmp)(OH) for cleaving the C-C bond of ketone, giving up to 90% of Rh(III)(tmp)(COR) and the corresponding oxidized carbonyl product in up to 76% yield within 10 min. Substrate scopes cover aliphatic as well as aromatic ketones. Both isopropyl and cyclic ketones worked well.

User-friendly aerobic reductive alkylation of iridium(III) porphyrin chloride with potassium hydroxide: scope and mechanism.

Alkylation of iridium 5,10,15,20-tetrakistolylporphyrinato carbonyl chloride, Ir(ttp)Cl(CO) (1), with 1°, 2° alkyl halides was achieved to give (ttp)Ir-alkyls in good yields under air and water compatible conditions by utilizing KOH as the cheap reducing agent. The reaction rate followed the order: RCl < RBr < RI (R = alkyl), and suggests an SN2 pathway by [Ir(I)(ttp)](-). Ir(ttp)-adamantyl was obtained under N2 when 1-bromoadamantane was utilized, which could only undergo bromine atom transfer pathway. Mechanistic investigations reveal a substrate dependent pathway of SN2 or halogen atom transfer.

Base-promoted aryl-bromine bond cleavage with cobalt(II) porphyrins via a halogen atom transfer mechanism.

Aryl-bromine bonds are successfully cleaved by cobalt(II) porphyrins in basic media to give Co(por)Ar (por = porphyrin) in good yields. Mechanistic studies suggested that the aryl-bromine bond is cleaved through a halogen atom transfer mechanism, which is different from the aryl-halogen bond cleavage mechanism with other group 9 metalloporphyrins.

Catalytic carbon-carbon σ-bond hydrogenation with water catalyzed by rhodium porphyrins.

The catalytic carbon-carbon σ-bond activation and hydrogenation of [2.2]paracyclophane with water in a neutral reaction medium is demonstrated. The hydrogen from water is transferred to the hydrocarbon to furnish hydrogen enrichment in good yields.

Metalloradical-catalyzed rearrangement of cycloheptatrienyl to benzyl.

Rh(ttp)(C(7)H(7)) rearranged to give Rh(ttp)(CH(2)Ph) quantitatively at 120 °C in 12 d (ttp = 5,10,15,20-tetratolylporphyrinato dianion). This process is 10(10) faster than for the organic analogue. Mechanistic investigation suggests that a Rh(II)(ttp)-catalyzed pathway is operating.

Mechanistic studies of the reaction of Ir(III) porphyrin hydride with 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl to an unsupported Ir-Ir porphyrin dimer.

Reaction of hydrido[5,10,15,20-tetrakis(p-tolyl)porphyrinato]iridium(III) (Ir(ttp)H) (1) with 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl (TEMPO) (2) at room temperature gave a 90% yield of the unsupported iridium(II) porphyrin dimer, Ir(II)(2)(ttp)(2) (3). Kinetic measurements revealed that the oxidation followed overall second-order kinetics: rate = k[Ir(ttp)H][TEMPO], k(25 °C) = 6.65 × 10(-4) M(-1). The entropy of activation (ΔS(‡) = -25.3 ± 2.5 cal mol(-1) K(-1)) and the kinetic isotope effect of 7.2 supported a bimolecular associative mechanism in the rate-determining hydrogen atom transfer from Ir(ttp)H to TEMPO.

Metalloradical-catalyzed aliphatic carbon-carbon activation of cyclooctane.

The aliphatic carbon-carbon activation of c-octane was achieved via the addition of Rh(ttp)H to give Rh(ttp)(n-octyl) in good yield under mild reaction conditions. The aliphatic carbon-carbon activation was Rh(II)(ttp)-catalyzed and was very sensitive to porphyrin sterics.

Carbon-carbon bond activation of 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-piperidine-1-oxyl by a Rh(II) metalloradical: a combined experimental and theoretical study.

Competitive major carbon-carbon bond activation (CCA) and minor carbon-hydrogen bond activation (CHA) channels are identified in the reaction between rhodium(II) meso-tetramesitylporphyrin [Rh(II)(tmp)] (1) and 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-piperidine-1-oxyl (TEMPO) (2). The CCA and CHA pathways lead to formation of [Rh(III)(tmp)Me] (3) and [Rh(III)(tmp)H] (5), respectively. In the presence of excess TEMPO, [Rh(II)(tmp)] is regenerated from [Rh(III)(tmp)H] with formation of 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-piperidine-1-ol (TEMPOH) (4) via a subsequent hydrogen atom abstraction pathway. The yield of the CCA product [Rh(III)(tmp)Me] increased with higher temperature at the cost of the CHA product TEMPOH in the temperature range 50-80 degrees C. Both the CCA and CHA pathways follow second-order kinetics. The mechanism of the TEMPO carbon-carbon bond activation was studied by means of kinetic investigations and DFT calculations. Broken symmetry, unrestricted b3-lyp calculations along the open-shell singlet surface reveal a low-energy transition state (TS1) for direct TEMPO methyl radical abstraction by the Rh(II) radical (SH2 type mechanism). An alternative ionic pathway, with a somewhat higher barrier, was identified along the closed-shell singlet surface. This ionic pathway proceeds in two sequential steps: Electron transfer from TEMPO to [Rh(II)(por)] producing the [TEMPO]+ [RhI(por)]- cation-anion pair, followed by net CH3+ transfer from TEMPO+ to Rh(I) with formation of [Rh(III)(por)Me] and (DMPO-like) 2,2,6-trimethyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1-pyridiniumolate. The transition state for this process (TS2) is best described as an SN2-like nucleophilic substitution involving attack of the d(z)2 orbital of [Rh(I)(por)]- at one of the C(Me)-C(ring) sigma* orbitals of [TEMPO]+. Although the calculated barrier of the open-shell radical pathway is somewhat lower than the barrier for the ionic pathway, R-DFT and U-DFT are not likely comparatively accurate enough to reliably distinguish between these possible pathways. Both the radical (SH2) and the ionic (SN2) pathway have barriers which are low enough to explain the experimental kinetic data.

Rhodium-catalyzed asymmetric aqueous Pauson-Khand-type reaction.

An interesting rhodium-catalyzed asymmetric aqueous Pauson-Khand-type reaction was developed. A chiral atropisomeric dipyridyldiphosphane ligand was found to be highly effective in this system. This operationally simple protocol allows both catalyst and reactants to be handled under air without precautions. Various enynes were transformed to the corresponding bicyclic cyclopentenones in good yield and enantiomeric excess (up to 95 % ee). A study of the electronic effects of the enyne substrates revealed a correlation between the electronic properties of the substrates and the ee value obtained in the product of the Pauson-Khand-type reaction. A linear free-energy relationship was observed from a Hammett study.