Imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine and Imidazo[1,5-a]pyridine: Electron Donor Groups in the Design of D-π-A Dyes.

This work investigates the electron-donating capabilities of two 10-π electron nitrogen bridgehead bicyclic [5,6]-fused ring systems, imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine and imidazo[1,5-a]pyridine rings. Eight compounds with varying positions of electron-withdrawing moieties (TCF or DCI) coupled to the imidazopyridine ring were synthesized and studied. DCI-containing compounds (Ib-IVb) exhibited a purely dipolar nature with broad absorption bands, weak fluorescence, large Stokes shifts, and strong solvatochromism. In contrast, TCF-containing compounds (Ia-IVa) demonstrated diverse properties. Imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine derivatives Ia and IIa were purely dipolar, while imidazo[1,5-a]pyridine derivatives IIIa and IVa displayed a cyanine-like character with intense absorption and higher quantum yields of emission. The observed gradual red shift in optical properties with changing electron-donor groups (IIb < Ib < IIIb < IVb) and (IIa < Ia < IIIa < IVa) underscores the stronger electron-donor character of imidazo[1,5-a]pyridine compared to that of imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine. Furthermore, crystalline powders of imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine derivatives exhibited fluorescence despite minimal emission in solution. Two compounds (Ib and IVa) were successfully formulated into nanoparticles for potential in vivo imaging applications in zebrafish embryos.

Quinoxaline-based azamacrocycles: synthesis, AIE behavior and acidochromism.

The development of luminescent molecular materials has advanced rapidly in recent decades, primarily driven by the synthesis of novel emissive compounds and a deeper understanding of excited-state mechanisms. Herein, we report a streamlined synthetic approach to light-emitting diazapolyoxa- and polyazamacrocycles N2CnOxQ and NyCnQ (n = 3-10; x = 2, 3; y = 2-5), incorporating a 2,3-diphenylquinoxaline residue (DPQ). This synthetic strategy based on macrocyclization through Pd-catalyzed amination reaction yields the target macrocycles in good or high yields (46-92%), enabling precise control over their structural parameters. A key role of the PhPF-tBu ligand belonging to the JosiPhos series in this macrocyclization was elucidated through DFT computation. This macrocyclization reaction eliminates the need for complex protecting-deprotecting procedures of secondary amine groups, offering a convenient and scalable method for the preparation of target compounds. Moreover, it boasts a potentially broad substrate scope, making it promising for structure-properties studies within photophysics, sensor development, and material synthesis. Photophysical properties of representative macrocycles were investigated, employing spectroscopic techniques and DFT computation. It was demonstrated that DPQ-containing macrocycles display aggregation-induced emission in a DCM-hexane solvent mixture despite the presence of flexible tethers within their structures. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis of a representative compound N2C8O3Q allowed us to gain deeper insight into its molecular structure and AIE behaviour. The emissive aggregates of the N2C10O3Q macrocycle were immobilized on filter paper yielding AIE-exhibiting test strips for measuring acidity in vapors and in aqueous media.

Synthesis and Characterization of Tetraphenylethene AIEgen-Based Push-Pull Chromophores for Photothermal Applications: Could the Cycloaddition-Retroelectrocyclization Click Reaction Make Any Molecule Photothermally Active?

Three new tetraphenylethene (TPE) push-pull chromophores exhibiting strong intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) are described. They were obtained via [2 + 2] cycloaddition-retroelectrocyclization (CA-RE) click reactions on an electron-rich alkyne-tetrafunctionalized TPE (TPE-alkyne) using both 1,1,2,2-tetracyanoethene (TCNE), 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) and 2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro-7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane (F4-TCNQ) as electron-deficient alkenes. Only the starting TPE-alkyne displayed significant AIE behavior, whereas for TPE-TCNE, a faint effect was observed, and for TPE-TCNQ and TPE-F4-TCNQ, no fluorescence was observed in any conditions. The main ICT bands that dominate the UV-Visible absorption spectra underwent a pronounced red-shift beyond the near-infrared (NIR) region for TPE-F4-TCNQ. Based on TD-DFT calculations, it was shown that the ICT character shown by the compounds exclusively originated from the clicked moieties independently of the nature of the central molecular platform. Photothermal (PT) studies conducted on both TPE-TCNQ and TPE-F4-TCNQ in the solid state revealed excellent properties, especially for TPE-F4-TCNQ. These results indicated that CA-RE reaction of TCNQ or F4-TCNQ with donor-substituted are promising candidates for PT applications.

Unbiased Detection of Cysteine Sulfenic Acid by 473 nm Photodissociation Mass Spectrometry: Toward Facile In Vivo Oxidative Status of Plasma Proteins.

Cysteine (Cys) is prone to diverse post-translational modifications in proteins, including oxidation into sulfenic acid (Cys-SOH) by reactive oxygen species generated under oxidative stress. Detection of low-concentration and metastable Cys-SOH within complex biological matrices is challenging due to the dynamic concentration range of proteins in the samples. Herein, visible laser-induced dissociation (LID) implemented in a mass spectrometer was used for streamlining the detection of Cys oxidized proteins owing to proper derivatization of Cys-SOH with a chromophore tag functionalized with a cyclohexanedione group. Once grafted, peptides undergo a high fragmentation yield under LID, leading concomitantly to informative backbone ions and to a chromophore reporter ion. Seventy-nine percent of the Cys-containing tryptic peptides derived from human serum albumin and serotransferrin tracked by parallel reaction monitoring (PRM) were detected as targets subjected to oxidation. These candidates as well as Cys-containing peptides predicted by in silico trypsin digestion of five other human plasma proteins were then tracked in real plasma samples to pinpoint the endogenous Cys-SOH subpopulation. Most of the targeted peptides were detected in all plasma samples by LID-PRM, with significant differences in their relative amounts. By eliminating the signal of interfering co-eluted compounds, LID-PRM surpasses conventional HCD (higher-energy collisional dissociation)-PRM in detecting grafted Cys-SOH-containing peptides and allows now to foresee clinical applications in large human cohorts.

σ-Conjugation and H-Bond-Directed Supramolecular Self-Assembly: Key Features for Efficient Long-Lived Room Temperature Phosphorescent Organic Molecular Crystals.

Long-lived room temperature phosphorescence from organic molecular crystals attracts great attention. Persistent luminescence depends on the electronic properties of the molecular components, mainly π-conjugated donor-acceptor (D-A) chromophores, and their molecular packing. Here, a strategy is developed by designing two isomeric molecular phosphors incorporating and combining a bridge for σ-conjugation between the D and A units and a structure-directing unit for H-bond-directed supramolecular self-assembly. Calculations highlight the critical role played by the two degrees of freedom of the σ-conjugated bridge on the chromophore optical properties. The molecular crystals exhibit RTP quantum yields up to 20 % and lifetimes up to 520 ms. The crystal structures of the efficient phosphorescent materials establish the existence of an unprecedented well-organization of the emitters into 2D rectangular columnar-like supramolecular structure stabilized by intermolecular H-bonding.

4,5,5-Trimethyl-2,5-dihydrofuran-Based Electron-Withdrawing Groups for NIR-Emitting Push-Pull Dipolar Fluorophores.

In the context of molecular engineering of push-pull dipolar dyes, we introduce a structural modification of the well-known electron-accepting group 2-dicyanomethylidene-3-cyano-4,5,5-trimethyl-2,5-dihydrofuran (TCF). Introduction of a (benzo[d]thiazol-2-yl) moiety failed, and unexpected structures were obtained. On the other hand, phenylthio and phenylsulfonyl entities were successfully introduced at position 3 of the 2-(dicyanomethylidene)-2,5-dihydrofuran ring, giving access to new electron-acceptor groups and dipolar fluorophores displaying near-infrared emission in solution or in the solid state, brighter than their TCF analogues.

Surfactant-Free Direct Access to Porphyrin-Cross-Linked Nanogels for Photodynamic and Photothermal Therapy.

Photosensitizing nanogels were obtained through a surfactant-free single-step protocol by using a porphyrin-based cross-linker for stabilizing self-assembled nanosized aggregates of thermoresponsive copolymers. Nanogels with varying amounts of porphyrin retained the singlet oxygen generation ability of the porphyrin core and were also capable of inducing temperature increase upon irradiation at 635 nm. Photoinduced killing efficiency was tested against three cell lines: human breast adenocarcinoma (MDA-MB-231 and MCF7) and pancreatic adenocarcinoma (AsPC-1) cells, and a predominant photodynamic mechanism at 450 nm and a mixed photodynamic and photothermal effect at 635 nm was observed. This innovative access to photosensitizing nanogels is a proof of concept, and opens new perspectives toward the preparation of optimized nanophotosensitizers.

Light-induced self-written waveguide fabrication using 1550 nm laser light.

Light-induced self-written (LISW) optical waveguides were fabricated for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, using a photopolymerizable resin system formed by 1550 nm pulse laser light. A two-photon absorption (TPA) chromophore with a TPA cross section of several hundred Goeppert-Mayer (GM) at 1550 nm was used. Furthermore, the optical interconnection between a single-mode fiber and a fiber Bragg grating was demonstrated by the present technique, using one-way irradiation of 1550 nm laser light through the single-mode fiber. The LISW waveguide formation using 1550 nm laser light offers a new and promising alternative route for optical interconnection in silicon photonics technology.

1,5-Benzodiazepin-2-ones: Investigation of a Family of Photoluminescent Materials.

Photoluminescent materials, that are now ubiquitous in our everyday life, have particularly attracted the attention of the scientific community these past few years due to potential important applications such as in bioimaging, sensing, or optoelectronics. In this context, relatively few different families of molecules have been reported to exhibit fluorescence in the aggregated or solid-state through the excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) photochemical process. The preparation and subsequent determination of photochemical properties of an underexplored family of 1,5-benzodiazepin-2-one derivatives are reported. From these data and X-ray diffraction analysis study, it emerged that photoluminescence (in the range 520-655 nm) was mostly attributed to ESIPT. The photoluminescent potential of 1,5-benzodiazepin-2-ones, their facile access, and functionalization were demonstrated through the preparation of two fluorogenic probes for the selective detection of biothiols.

Mechanism of the Zn(II)Phthalocyanines' Photochemical Reactions Depending on the Number of Substituents and Geometry.

In this work, the synthesis and the nonlinear absorption and population dynamics investigation of a series of zinc phthalocyanines (ZnPcs) dissolved in chloroform are reported. In order to determine the relevant spectroscopic parameters, such as absorption cross-sections of singlet and triplet excited states, fluorescence relaxation times, intersystem crossing, radiative decay and internal conversion, different optical and spectroscopic techniques were used. By single pulse and pulse train Z-scan techniques, respectively, singlet and triplet excited states' absorption cross-section were determined at 532 nm. Furthermore, the intersystem crossing time was obtained by using both techniques combined with the fluorescence lifetime determined by time-resolved fluorescence. The radiative and internal conversion rates were determined from the fluorescence quantum yield of the samples. Such spectroscopy parameters are fundamental for selecting photosensitizers used in photodynamic therapy, as well as for many other applications.

Red emitting neutral fluorescent glycoconjugates for membrane optical imaging.

A family of neutral fluorescent probes was developed, mimicking the overall structure of natural glycolipids in order to optimize their membrane affinity. Nonreducing commercially available di- or trisaccharidic structures were connected to a push-pull chromophore based on dicyanoisophorone electron-accepting group, which proved to fluoresce in the red region with a very large Stokes shift. This straightforward synthetic strategy brought structural variations to a series of probes, which were studied for their optical, biophysical, and biological properties. The insertion properties of the different probes into membranes were evaluated on a model system using the Langmuir monolayer balance technique. Confocal fluorescence microscopy performed on muscle cells showed completely different localizations and loading efficiencies depending on the structure of the probes. When compared to the commercially available ANEPPS, a family of commonly used membrane imaging dyes, the most efficient probes showed a similar brightness, but a sharper pattern was observed. According to this study, compounds bearing one chromophore, a limited size of the carbohydrate moiety, and an overall rod-like shape gave the best results.

Concise multigram-scale synthesis of push-pull tricyanofuran-based hemicyanines with giant second-order nonlinearity: an alternative for electro-optic materials.

Highly stable and highly soluble push-pull heptamethine hemicyanines based on the tricyanofuran electron-accepting group can be prepared on a 15 g scale. The compounds display giant second-order nonlinear figure of merit, µß of up to 31,000×10(-48) esu, and lead to a poled material with a second-order nonlinear response, r33 of 90 pm V(-1) at 1.06 µm.

ABAB homoleptic bis(phthalocyaninato)lanthanide(III) complexes: original octupolar design leading to giant quadratic hyperpolarizability.

The octupolar cube, a Td symmetry cube presenting alternating charges at its corners, is the generic point charge template of any octupolar molecule. So far, transposition into real molecular structures has yet to be achieved. We report here a first step toward the elaboration of fully cubic octupolar architectures. A series of octupolar bis(2,3,16,17-tetra(hexylthio)phthalocyaninato)lanthanide double-decker complexes [Pc2Ln], Ln = Nd (1), Eu (2), Dy (3), Y (4), and Lu (5), are described, whose original three-dimensional structures display the required alternation of ABAB type for one face of the cube and the delocalization between the two rings approximating to the electronic interaction along the edges of the cube. Synthesis, X-ray crystal structure, and study of the optical properties and of the first molecular hyperpolarizability ß are reported. The size of the lanthanide (III) central ion modulates the ring-to-ring distance and the degree of coupling between the two phthalocyanine rings. As a consequence, the optical properties of these octupolar chromophores and in particular the strong near-infrared absorption due to the intervalence transition between the two rings also depend on the central lanthanide (III) ion. The first oxidized and reduced states of the complexes, while keeping a similar octupolar structure, display considerably changed optical properties compared to the neutral states. Second-order nonlinear properties were determined by nonpolarized harmonic light scattering in solution at 1907 nm. Exceptionally large dynamic molecular first hyperpolarizabilities √(<ßHLS(2)>1907), among the highest ever reported, were found that showed a strong dependence on the number of 4f electrons.

Fluorescent push-pull pH-responsive probes for ratiometric detection of intracellular pH.

A family of fluorescent push-pull pH-responsive probes based on 2-dicyanomethylidene-3-cyano-4,5,5-trimethyl-2,5-dihydrofuran as a strong electron acceptor group is described. Small structural variations allow obtaining pK(a) ranging from 4.8 to 8.6, underlining the role of the substituent in modulating the acidic properties. Remarkable changes in the optical properties (in particular the fluorescence intensity ratios) were observed as a function of pH. The most interesting probes with pK(a) close to neutrality were used for ratiometric imaging of intracellular pH.

Quantum-Classical Protocol for Efficient Characterization of Absorption Lineshape and Fluorescence Quenching upon Aggregation: The Case of Zinc Phthalocyanine Dyes.

A quantum-classical protocol that incorporates Jahn-Teller vibronic coupling effects and cluster analysis of molecular dynamics simulations is reported, providing a tool for simulations of absorption spectra and ultrafast nonadiabatic dynamics in large molecular photosystems undergoing aggregation in solution. Employing zinc phthalocyanine dyes as target systems, we demonstrated that the proposed protocol provided fundamental information on vibronic, electronic couplings and thermal dynamical effects that mostly contribute to the absorption spectra lineshape and the fluorescence quenching processes upon dye aggregation. Decomposing the various effects arising upon dimer formation, the structure-property relations associated with their optical responses have been deciphered at atomistic resolution.

ABAB homoleptic bis(phthalocyaninato)lutetium(III) complex: toward the real octupolar cube and giant quadratic hyperpolarizability.

The concept of octupolar molecules has considerably enlarged the engineering of second-order nonlinear optical materials by giving access to 2D and 3D architectures. However, if the archetype of octupolar symmetry is a cube with alternating donor and acceptor groups at the corners, no translation of this ideal structure into a real molecule has been realized to date. This may be achieved by designing a bis(phthalocyaninato)lutetium(III) double-decker complex with a crosswise ABAB phthalocyanine bearing alternating electron-donor and electron-acceptor groups. In this communication, we present the first step toward this goal with the synthesis, crystal structure determination, and measurement of the molecular first-order hyperpolarizability ß by harmonic light diffusion, of an original lutetium(III) sandwich complex displaying the required ABAB-type alternation for one face of the cube. This structure is characterized by an intense absorption in the near-IR due to an intervalence transition and exhibits the highest quadratic hyperpolarizability ever reported for an octupolar molecule, √<ß(2)(HLS)> = 5750 × 10(-30) esu.

Relative quantification of sulfenic acids in plasma proteins using differential labelling and mass spectrometry coupled with 473 nm photo-dissociation analysis: A multiplexed approach applied to an Alzheimer's disease cohort.

Cysteine (Cys) is subject to a variety of reversible post-translational modifications such as formation of sulfenic acid (Cys-SOH). If this modification is often involved in normal biological activities, it can also be the result of oxidative damage. Indeed, oxidative stress yields abnormal cysteine oxidations that affect protein function and structure and can lead to neurodegenerative diseases. In a context of population ageing, validation of novel biomarkers for detection of neurodegenerative diseases is important. However, Cys-SOH proteins investigation in large human cohorts is challenging due to their low abundance and lability under endogenous conditions. To improve the detection specificity towards the oxidized protein subpopulation, we developed a method that makes use of a mass spectrometer coupled with visible laser induced dissociation (LID) to add a stringent optical specificity to the mass selectivity. Since peptides do not naturally absorb in the visible range, this approach relies on the proper chemical derivatization of Cys-SOH with a chromophore functionalized with a cyclohexanedione. To compensate for the significant variability in total protein expression within the samples and any experimental bias, a normalizing strategy using free thiol (Cys-SH) cysteine peptides derivatized with a maleimide chromophore as internal references was used. Thanks to the differential tagging, oxidative ratios were then obtained for 69 Cys-containing peptides from 19 proteins tracked by parallel reaction monitoring (PRM) LID, in a cohort of 49 human plasma samples from Alzheimer disease (AD) patients. A statistical analysis indicated that, for the proteins monitored, the Cys oxidative ratio does not correlate with the diagnosis of AD. Nevertheless, the PRM-LID method allows the unbiased, sensitive and robust relative quantification of Cys oxidation within cohorts of samples.

Photo-SRM: laser-induced dissociation improves detection selectivity of Selected Reaction Monitoring mode.

Selected Reaction Monitoring (SRM) carried out on triple-quadrupole mass spectrometers coupled to liquid chromatography has been a reference method to develop quantitative analysis of small molecules in biological or environmental matrices for years and is currently emerging as a promising tool in clinical proteomic. However, sensitive assays in complex matrices are often hampered by the presence of co-eluted compounds that share redundant transitions with the target species. On-the-fly better selection of the precursor ion by high-field asymmetric waveform ion mobility spectrometry (FAIMS) or increased quadrupole resolution is one way to escape from interferences. In the present work we document the potential interest of substituting classical gas-collision activation mode by laser-induced dissociation in the visible wavelength range to improve the specificity of the fragmentation step. Optimization of the laser beam pathway across the different quadrupoles to ensure high photo-dissociation yield in Q2 without detectable fragmentation in Q1 was assessed with sucrose tagged with a push-pull chromophore. Next, the proof of concept that photo-SRM ensures more specific detection than does conventional collision-induced dissociation (CID)-based SRM was carried out with oxytocin peptide. Oxytocin was derivatized by the thiol-reactive QSY® 7 C(5)-maleimide quencher on cysteine residues to shift its absorption property into the visible range. Photo-SRM chromatograms of tagged oxytocin spiked in whole human plasma digest showed better detection specificity and sensitivity than CID, that resulted in extended calibration curve linearity. We anticipate that photo-SRM might significantly improve the limit of quantification of classical SRM-based assays targeting cysteine-containing peptides.

Photodynamic therapy and two-photon bio-imaging applications of hydrophobic chromophores through amphiphilic polymer delivery.

The synthesis and photophysical properties of two lipophilic quadrupolar chromophores featuring anthracenyl (1) or dibromobenzene (2) were described. These two chromophores combined significant two-photon absorption cross-sections with high fluorescence quantum yield for 1 and improved singlet oxygen generation efficiency for 2, in organic solvents. The use of Pluronic nanoparticles allowed a simple and straightforward introduction of these lipophilic chromophores into biological cell media. Their internal distribution in various cell lines was studied using fluorescence microscopy and flow-cytometry following a successful staining that was achieved upon 2 h of incubation. Finally, multiphoton excitation microscopy and photodynamic therapy capability of the chromophores were demonstrated by cell exposure to a 820 nm fs laser and cell death upon one photon resonant irradiation at 436 ± 10 nm, respectively.

Hybrid multimodal contrast agent for multiscale in vivo investigation of neuroinflammation.

Neuroinflammation is a process common to several brain pathologies. Despites its medical relevance, it still remains poorly understood; there is therefore a need to develop new in vivo preclinical imaging strategies to monitor inflammatory processes longitudinally. We here present the development of a hybrid imaging nanoprobe named NP3, that was specifically designed to get internalized by phagocytic cells and imaged in vivo with MRI and bi-photon microscopy. NP3 is composed of a 16 nm core of gadolinium fluoride (GdF3), coated with bisphosphonate polyethylene glycol (PEG) and functionalized with a Lemke-type fluorophore. It has a hydrodynamic diameter of 28 ± 8 nm and a zeta potential of -42 ± 6 mV. The MR relaxivity ratio at 7 T is r1/r2 = 20; therefore, NP3 is well suited as a T2/T2* contrast agent. In vitro cytotoxicity assessments performed on four human cell lines revealed no toxic effects of NP3. In addition, NP3 is internalized by macrophages in vitro without inducing inflammation or cytotoxicity. In vivo, uptake of NP3 has been observed in the spleen and the liver. NP3 has a prolonged vascular remanence, which is an advantage for macrophage uptake in vivo. The proof-of-concept that NP3 may be used as a contrast agent targeting phagocytic cells is provided in an animal model of ischemic stroke in transgenic CX3CR1-GFP/+ mice using three complementary imaging modalities: MRI, intravital two-photon microscopy and phase contrast imaging with synchrotron X-rays. In summary, NP3 is a promising preclinical tool for the multiscale and multimodal investigation of neuroinflammation.