Ultrafast Excited-State Dynamics of Hydrogen-Bonded Cytosine Microsolvated Clusters with Protic and Aprotic Polar Solvents.

Microsolvation effects on the ultrafast excited-state deactivation dynamics of cytosine (Cy) were studied in hydrogen-bonded Cy clusters with protic and aprotic solvents using mass-resolved femtosecond pump-probe ionization spectroscopy. Two protic solvents, water (H2O) and methanol (MeOH), and one aprotic solvent, tetrahydrofuran (THF), were investigated, and transients of Cy·(H2O)1-6, Cy·(MeOH)1-3, and Cy·THF microsolvated clusters produced in supersonic expansions were measured. With the aid of electronic structure calculations, we assigned the observed dynamics to the low-energy isomers of various Cy clusters and discussed the microsolvation effect on the excited-state deactivation dynamics. With the protic solvents only the microsolvated clusters of Cy keto tautomer were observed. The observed decay time constants of Cy·(H2O) n are 0.5 ps for n = 1 and ∼0.2-0.25 ps for n = 2-6. For Cy·(MeOH) n clusters, the decay time constant for n = 1 cluster is similar to that of the Cy monohydrate, but for n = 2 and 3 the decays are about a factor of 2 slower than the corresponding microhydrates. With the aprotic solvent, THF, hydrogen-bonded complexes of both keto and enol tautomers are present in the beam. The keto-Cy·THF shows a decay similar to that of the keto-Cy monomer, whereas the enol-Cy·THF exhibits a 2-fold slower decay than the enol-Cy monomer, suggesting an increase in the barrier to excited-state deactivation upon binding of one THF molecule to the enol form of Cy.

Microhydration Effects on the Ultrafast Photodynamics of Cytosine: Evidences for a Possible Hydration-Site Dependence.

Ultrafast excited-state deactivation dynamics of small cytosine (Cy) and 1-methylcytosine (1mCy) microhydrates, Cy⋅(H2O)1-3 and 1mCy⋅(H2O)1,2, produced in a supersonic expansion have been studied by mass-selected femtosecond pump-probe photoionization spectroscopy at about 267 nm excitation. The seeded supersonic expansion of Ar/H2O gas mixtures allowed an extensive structural relaxation of Cy and 1mCy microhydrates to low-energy isomers. With the aid of electronic structure calculations, we assigned the observed ultrafast dynamics to the dominant microhydrate isomers of the amino-keto tautomer of Cy and 1mCy. Excited-state lifetimes of Cy⋅(H2O)1-3 measured here are 0.2-0.5 ps. Comparisons of the Cy⋅H2O and 1mCy⋅H2O transients suggest that monohydration at the amino Watson-Crick site induces a substantially stronger effect than at the sugar-edge site in accelerating excited-state deactivation of Cy.

Ultrafast Charge Recombination Dynamics in Ternary Electron Donor-Acceptor Complexes: (Benzene)2-Tetracyanoethylene Complexes.

The charge-transfer (CT) state relaxation dynamics of the binary (1:1) and ternary (2:1) benzene/tetracyanoethylene (BZ/TCNE) complexes are reported. Steady-state and ultrafast time-resolved broadband fluorescence (TRFL) spectra of TCNE dissolved in a series of BZ/CCl4 mixed solvents are measured to elucidate the spectroscopic properties of the BZ/TCNE complexes and their CT-state relaxation dynamics. Both steady-state and TRFL spectra exhibit marked BZ concentration dependences, which can be attributed to the formation of two types of 2:1 complexes in the ground and excited states. By combining with the density functional theory (DFT) calculations, it was concluded that the BZ concentration dependence of the absorption spectra is mainly due to the formation and excitation of the sandwich-type 2:1 ternary complexes, whereas the changes in fluorescence spectra at high BZ concentrations are due to the formation of the asymmetric-type 2:1 ternary complex CT1 state. A unified mechanism involving both direct excitation and secondary formation of the 2:1 complexes CT states are proposed to account for the observations. The equilibrium charge recombination (CR) time constant of the 1:1 CT1 state is determined to be ∼150 ps in CCl4, whereas that of the 2:1 DDA-type CT1 state becomes ∼70 ps in 10% BZ/CCl4 and ∼34 ps in pure BZ. The CR rates and the CT1-S0 energy gap of these complexes in different solvents exhibit a correlation conforming to the Marcus inverted region. It is concluded that partial charge resonance occurring between the two adjacent BZs in the asymmetric-type 2:1 CT1-state reduces the CR reaction exothermicity and increases the CR rate.

Ultrafast time-resolved broadband fluorescence studies of the benzene-tetracyanoethylene complex: solvation, vibrational relaxation, and charge recombination dynamics.

The charge-transfer (CT) state relaxation dynamics of the benzene-tetracyanoethylene (BZ-TCNE) complex was studied with broadband ultrafast time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy implemented by optical Kerr gating in three solvents of different polarities. The CT state of the BZ-TCNE complex is reached via femtosecond laser excitation, and the subsequent temporal evolutions of the fluorescence spectra were measured. Analyses of various time-dependent spectral properties revealed rapid relaxations along solvent and vibrational coordinates in competition with charge recombination (CR). By comparing the results in solvents of different polarities, we partially separated solvation and vibrational relaxation dynamics and explored the solvent-dependent CR dynamics. Time-dependent dynamic fluorescence Stokes shift (TDFSS) measurements unveiled the solvation and vibrational relaxation contributions to the observed spectral relaxation. The biphasic and slow time scales of the vibrational contributions identified in TDFSS suggested nonstatistical and hindered intramolecular vibrational-energy redistribution that can be attributed to the unique structural properties of EDA complexes. The slowest spectral relaxation of 10-15 ps identified in TDFSS was ascribed to relaxation of the BZ(+)-TCNE(-) intermolecular vibrations, which is equivalent to a structural relaxation from the initial Franck-Condon configuration to the equilibrium CT-state structure. The time scales of vibrational relaxation indicate that a fraction of the CT-state population undergoes CR reactions before complete vibrational/structural equilibrium is achieved. In carbon tetrachloride, a nonexponential temporal profile was observed and attributed to vibrational nonequilibrium CR. In dichloromethane, polar solvation greatly accelerates CR reactions, and a slower reaction-field-induced structural relaxation gives rise to a pronounced biexponential decay. The equilibrium CR time constants of the BZ-TCNE CT state are 29 ps, 150 ps, and 68 ps in dichloromethane, carbon tetrachloride, and cyclohexane, respectively.

Phospholipid-functionalized mesoporous silica nanocarriers for selective photodynamic therapy of cancer.

This paper describes the fabrication of a highly efficient, non-cytotoxic drug delivery platform designed for photodynamic therapy (PDT): phospholipid-capped, protoporphyrin IX-loaded and FITC-sensitized mesoporous silica nanocarriers (Lipo-FMSNs/PpIX). After derivatization with folate on the phospholipid-capped FMSNs (denoted fa-Lipo-FMSNs/PpIX, the so-called nanoPDT system), we confirmed the nanoPDT systems' selective targeting of and entry into the folic acid receptor-overexpressed HeLa cells by means of cell viability assessment and confocal microscopic analysis. The decrease in the unfavorable dark toxicity of fa-Lipo-FMSNs/PpIX enabled the delivery of high concentrations of PpIX into cells. Moreover, the cellular uptake of the nanoPDT systems was greater than that of free PpIX. Upon irradiation with visible light, the nanoPDT system generated singlet oxygen efficaciously in aqueous environments-a decisive factor affecting its therapeutic applicability in PDT, demonstrating enhanced in vitro photocytotoxicity. Furthermore, an in vivo study of subcutaneous melanoma in nude mice inoculated with B16F10 cells revealed the capability for the nanoPDT system to mitigate nearly 65% of tumor growth.